From Shadows to Shadows
by Kako
Summary: Seto Kaiba has returned to Domino after being away for ten years. When he returns, the whole city and his company is in decay. He sets out to rid the city of the corruption that has overtaken it through the alias of a known masked vigilante. SetoxSerenity
1. Chapter 1

From Shadows to Shadows

Premise: Seto Kaiba has recently returned to Domino, after being abroad for ten years. When he returns, the whole city is in decay, and the company he once fostered is ready to move on without him. He reunites with his former companions and sets out to rid the city of the corruption that has overtaken it through the alias of a particular masked vigilante. SetoxSerenity

A/N: Welcome everyone to my first attempt at a SetoxSerenity story. I must thank my cough wonderful sister Sakura Takanouchi for giving me this idea, and letting me see where it goes. This is a bit of a Batman-spinoff, as you can see many similarities between Seto's personality and Bruce Wayne's, in my opinion. This chapter is also a bit strange in its POV, but that's because it's jumping around through the present and Seto's memories and thoughts about his past. Hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Batman Begins or YGO. Come on, it's called _fan_-fiction for a reason

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Chapter One:

Seto tried to relax in the buttery leather of the seat of his private plane, but he soon found that it was impossible. It unnerved him, that something that used to come so easily now seemed so unfamiliar. He tried to focus instead on why he was there, why he was returning. For ten years, Domino hadn't seen the face of Seto Kaiba, and if he had anything to say about it then he wouldn't be going back now.

_Damn you_, he thought. _How could you find me_?

He couldn't stay angry at his younger brother for long. Mokuba was now the only family he had.

Seto sighed, letting the shallow light of the overhead lighting wash over his pale face as he closed his eyes, clearing his thoughts and meditating in the way that he had been taught.

It was a rainy day when Seto Kaiba decided to leave the city of Domino for good. His adopted father—Seto would never call this depraved man his _real_ father—had been the one to drive him out.

Seto was made a president of a department of Kaiba corp, and it had been one of the proudest, if not happiest, days of his life when Gozaburo told him that he was to be named official heir and vice president later that year. This department chair was merely a test, to see if Seto could handle it.

Naturally, Seto Kaiba could handle anything, but Gozaburo needed to see proof. Seto had made that particular department, the one dealing with electronics and computer equipment, the best in the entire country. While Kaiba Corp dealt mainly in weapons and technology, Seto was convinced that the entertainment section of the company had the most potential.

Later that day he was called in by Gozaburo to oversee his new duties. He was shocked to learn that Gozaburo had been laundering money through the other departments, and intended that Seto should do the same.

All of a sudden, his whole perspective changed. Seto had known that his adoptive father was a conniving crook, but this only cemented his opinion. Gozaburo was stealing money from his clients, charging them double and then selling them equipment that was half-rate, if it barely functioned at all. Seto had built up his department honestly over the years, rising through the ranks as he proved to the world that he had the innovation and creativity to one day stand at the top.

Seto was adamantly against the blatant corruption Gozaburo seemed to thrive on. He still remembered the cruel words of his step-father.

_"Don't you want the money, son?" The sneering face of __Gozaburo__Kaiba__ said, as if already picturing the sums that would come rolling in. "Use your talents to help the company! Do this, and your place as my heir is secured!"_

Seto had calmly walked out of the office, the only outward signs of his anger being the tightly clenched fists by his sides, his fingernails burrowing into his palms to keep him from running back in there and doing something he'd regret.

_After all, he __**would**__ have what was coming to him_.

Seto had left Domino that same day, leaving a message with a local trusted lawyer to look into Kaiba Corp's illegal practices. He never checked up on his actions, or he would have known that the same lawyer turned up dead within ten days, and the case was closed soon after.

_My only regret is that I never had a chance to say goodbye to __Mokuba_

_It's not as if any of the others would have cared_.

While Seto Kaiba surely had enemies, he could barely call his casual acquaintances "friends." Sure, there was Yugi Motou, who was almost as good a duelist as he was, and Bakura Ryou, who always seemed very quiet, and a couple others, and of course…who could forget the _mutt_?

Joey Wheeler was his name. Funny, he had the same last name as the lawyer Seto had contacted.

_Must've been an uncle or something…it's not like any of his intelligence rubbed off on that __fleabitten__ mongrel_.

Seto tried to forget about all of them. He was on his own now, and he had only himself to depend on. He could never have supported Mokuba, not where he was going. Mokuba was young enough that Gozaburo would not make him enter the company's ranks just yet, and Seto trusted his younger brother's morals to keep him safe.

Seto was determined to get as far away from Domino as he could, but that was a hard thing to do. He eventually ended up in Europe, after stowing away on a Kaiba Corp train after taking a boat to the mainland.

_Strange country, Switzerland_, he thought as he trudged through yet another small, bleak, disinteresting town. _You can find just about everything here._

He had come for the mountains, honestly. He had never been one for winter sports like skiing, but he loved hiking and mountain-climbing.

It had been two years, and Seto was still not any closer to discovering why he was even there. Before he could even think of opposing his step-father on any level, he had to know himself first. He was afraid, that day in the office, because some small part of him wanted to take Gozaburo's offer.

He had tried to immediately crush that part of him, but he found in his isolation that it grew like a weed, festering in his heart and turning it black.

_In order to face the corruption, I first need to be desensitized to it so that I might understand it, and only then can I defeat it._

He repeated the mantra over and over in his head as he climbed the mountain in front of him. He had the proper coat and climbing materials after selling his expensive watch, a birthday present from Gozaburo. He was more than happy to get rid of it, and now a black sports watch stood plainly on his wrist.

Through his muddled German, he had learned that a temple stood alone on the mountain's peak.

_Great, just what I need to "discover myself," he thought bitterly._

The temple would prove to be both a blessing and a curse. The snow had picked up, and Seto's fingers shook as he clutched his hood closer to his face as the wooden exterior of the monastery came into view.

_It better be warm in there_.

_Ah, but isn't inner enlightenment warmer than even the most roaring fire?_

He could hardly lift his hand to open the door. He had barely touched the rough hewn handle when the door seemed to open of its own accord. Seto nearly fell over as he staggered inside, the warmth from several fires in wall-mounted torches nearby reaching through the thick wool of his coat to his soaked skin.

_And above all, the scent of incense hovered over the air, stinging his nostrils with its pungent odor_.

_What…what is that scent? It seems so familiar, but the more I think about it the less I remember._

"Welcome, Seto Kaiba, to the League of Shadows," said a voice that made his blood freeze.

The man before him wore a simple long-sleeved tunic the color of sand, and a turban to cover his head. It was his eyes that unnerved Seto the most, as they were piercing in a violet-blue color that seemed to be able to see into his very soul.

_**Yes, we see the evil within you. And we will cultivate it**_

Instead, the voice that emanated from the man said only, "My name is Shaadi."

At first Seto jumped for the chance to be able to join this monastery's teaching. Seto had always been able to defend himself, but now his skills were honed in a way that he had never thought possible. Shaadi seemed to take him on as his sole pupil, although there were hundreds of other nameless, faceless students there in the wooden fortress of a building.

_**Darker into the shadows you will **__**fall. And only then**__** can we bring you out of it.**_

_…But will I still be myself?_

_**That is not important. You are part of the collective. Your emotions no longer matter.**_

It was then that Seto realized that he was being trained to lead this battalion of soldiers. The monastery sought to completely eradicate capitalistic forces that had turned corrupt and fallen into decay so deep that it dragged down the city and the people around it.

With a sinking heart, Seto Kaiba realized that his beloved Kaiba Corporation was next on the list, and it would be he that would deliver the crushing final blow.

_But I can save it. I know I can_. _Can't I?_

The seeds of doubt had already been sown, but Seto Kaiba wasn't completely swayed by the combination of gratifying promises and sweet incense that seemed to so completely permeate the monastery. Shaadi's voice rang in Seto's head even as he ate or slept, reminding him of his supposed _new_ mantra.

_Kaiba__Coroporation__ is corrupt and has doomed the whole city of Domino. While the Corporation is beyond saving, __**you**__ can be the city's savior. Destroy __Gozaburo__ and re-right the balance._

Shaadi and Seto often trained outside in the wilderness, using the mountain as their backdrop or sparring over a thick field of frozen ice, the sharp cracks of the ice masking the clang of their blades.

Shaadi used his training time to also instruct Seto in the beliefs of the League of Shadows. It was very Marxist, putting the weight of the collective over individualism and condemning "corrupt" capitalism. There was no hope for revolution or alteration, but only destruction.

Seto knew he had to escape here. The only thing that was keeping him from completely submitting to Shaadi's control was the thought of his younger brother, Mokuba. It had been nine years in total since he had left the city of Domino, and he knew he had to return, if only for him.

_**He has forgotten you. Do the job you were born to do**_

_I shall. I shall liberate the city from __Gozaburo's__ control on my own terms._

Seto knew it was Spring because the incessant snow had begun to slow down, covering the mountains in its thick blanket while the air remained crisp and clear. Seto once again found himself in the main entry hall of the monastery, face-to-face with Shaadi.

_The smell of incense was almost overpowering_.

"It is time for you to take up your sword. The city of Domino has reached its lowest point, and we will raise it from its ashes as Kaiba Corporation falls," Shaadi said, closing his eyes slowly as his voice seemed to resonate throughout the hall.

_Does that damned incense not affect him? I can barely stand._

"You shall lead these men in battle," Shaadi said, gesturing to the rows of identical, uniformed men at his right. For the first time, Seto saw the flash of gold at his belt; the shine of the Millennium Key in its ankh-like shape.

_For something that is supposed to represent life, why does he bring nothing but death_?

"Prove your loyalty," Shaadi hissed as a man was brought from behind a sliding door. Obviously a native, the man spoke no English and looked tremblingly around the room.

"This man's name is Panik," Shaadi said dismissively. "He has stolen money and food from another man in the village. This crime is punishable by death."

For the first time, his eyes locked with Seto's blue ones. "You will carry out his punishment."

Seto looked stricken. He was no murderer, yet this man had virtually done the same crime that Gozaburo was also guilty for, and the League of Shadows had convinced him that Gozaburo deserved death for his crimes against the citizens of Domino and the employees of Kaiba Corp.

_I will not play God. I will trust the justice system to carry out his just punishment, even if I have to deliver him to them myself._

Seto's hands briefly touched upon the sword at his back, but he faltered, casting his eyes downward.

"I…cannot," he said, looking back at Shaadi, who scowled in displeasure.

"I was afraid you would say that," Shaadi said, and again Kaiba caught the flash of gold. He quickly waved his hand, and the rows of recruits began to move slowly in. "You are not loyal to the League. We cannot allow you to leave."

Seto took a step back, trying to analyze the situation. He was outnumbered, but the torches against the wall gave him an idea. He grabbed one, and held it out in front of him.

"If I drop it, this whole building will go up in flames," he threatened. Shaadi met his gaze, almost as if daring him.

Without warning, the recruits began to charge. Seto dropped the torch swiftly, which ignited on the hay scattered across the floor, quickly blazing a trail across the floor, lighting the dry floorboards and rough-hewn walls.

Seto parried his attacks from the recruits, choosing only to defend as he made his way closer to the door. The fire spread fast, and the heavy smoke from the fire competed with the heady smoke of the incense, obscuring the view of both Seto and Shaadi. Seto glanced up, then ran out when the rafters directly above him fell due to the fast-moving fire.

He cast a quick glance behind him, but no one was following. He headed towards the well-worn path back down the mountain to the village, looking back once more on the now smoldering monastery. His eyes widened when he saw Shaadi standing before the building, emotions akin to rage and regret in his eyes.

_"It is not too late. Come back to us!"_ He raised one arm out to Seto, who never for an instant considered taking it.

His arms flew up to his face as something inside the building exploded, sending embers and wood flying through the air. Seto looked up to see an unconscious Shaadi, lying underneath a heavy beam from the doorpost.

Seto looked around, but he saw no one else. Either they were all dead, or none were coming to their mentor's rescue.

_According to his morals I should let him rot there along with the ones he so successfully brainwashed._

_But would that make me any better than they?_

Seto ran towards the monastery, avoiding the intense heat of the flames as best as he could. He knelt by Shaadi's side, rolling the beam off of him as he checked for a pulse. It was there, but faint.

Seto hesitated, before lifting the body of his mentor and carrying him towards the village. He left Shaadi with an elderly man in the village, then continued on his way back towards Japan, and Domino City.

_He will know that I saved his life_.

Seto was in Moscow when he was discovered. Looking through the crowds in front of St. Peter's, he saw the familiar mop of shaggy black hair of his younger brother.

Mokuba Kaiba instantly recognized him, and ran to embrace the ghost who he had been told died nine years ago. Seto accepted Mokuba's offer of a Kaiba Corp jet back to Domino, but the bad news Mokuba brought hit Seto like a brick wall.

Gozaburo Kaiba had died, only the month before. Seto was neither happy nor sad at the news, but he accepted it with grace.

_He has received his justice_.

Mokuba refused to tell him any more about the condition of his company, and told him that he should see it for himself.

So now, Seto sat in the jet, alone, trying to get re-accustomed to the luxury around him.

But he would not be alone for much longer.

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A/N: How did you like it? Quite a long chapter, if I do say so myself. I tried to keep him in character, and still stick as closely as I can to the basic premise of the Batman Begins movie. Next chapter, Seto will be reunited with Yami, Serenity, and the rest of the gang.

Your reviews mean more than I can say, so I would love it if you could leave a review to let me know how I'm doing. I want to know if I'm keeping them in character, if you like the plot, etc. I love constructive criticism, and any comments that can help me become a better writer would be greatly appreciated.

I'll get the next chapter up soon!

Love, Kako


	2. Chapter 2

From Shadows to Shadows

A/N: I would like to thank the two people who reviewed on Chapter One: Kikoken and Erik's Champion. For now I'll just respond to your posts here, I'm not quite sure how to work the email response system. I wasn't even aware that such a thing existed until I got a response from a story I reviewed through email, and my reaction was like, "wow, you can do that?" Boy, did I feel stupid.

Kikoken: Yes he would, wouldn't he? (drools) xD

Erik's Champion: Thank you! I will definitely add some flashbacks or other ways Seto deals with the after-effects of the attempted brainwashing and some conversations between him and Shaadi. I agree that I might've glossed over that part more than I intended.

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO or Batman Begins.

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Chapter Two

As the plane began its descent, the butterflies that had been lying dormant in Seto Kaiba's stomach started to resurface, feeling more like a raving mosh pit than a gentle flutter.

He hadn't had any contact with this city for nine years. What scared Seto Kaiba most is that he'd been forgotten; that the city he used to call home had moved on without him.

_I'll make them remember_.

He was met on the tarmac by one of the old executives, who Mokuba said had been named COO in his absence.

"Mr. Kaiba! So good that you've returned!" The black-haired man said, walking quickly to keep up with Seto as he headed towards the limo parked at the far end of the tarmac.

"Gansley," Seto said, his only form of acknowledgement.

"Sir, it was a real surprise to hear that you were alive and well. I've managed to keep your return from the press for now, but it'll leak out eventually." Gansley kept talking, but Seto had stopped listening, choosing to keep his briefcase with him as he slid into the black stretch limo.

_A surprise?__ More like a lit fuse of dynamite. They know where I want to take this company…and I'm sure they're only keeping it from the press so they can orchestrate an 'accident' before I do something they don't want…_he let his thoughts trail off as the limo headed into the heart of Domino.

"Not like it used to be, eh?" Gansley said, jerking with his thumb towards the decrepit buildings and littered streets. "But KaibaCorp is still the center of it all." He gestured towards the towering building that had just come into view.

Seto frowned. The building was still imposing, and was clearly the tallest thing in the whole city, but it hardly contained the splendor and modern aspects he thought the company should be portraying. In the nine years he had been absent, the building now looked…old.

"And there's the EL-transit," Gansley said, pointing to the elevated light rail that wound its way all through Domino. One of Gozaburo's projects, it helped bring in the thousands of KC employees to work. Now, the train looked battered and worn, just like the city.

The limo stopped in front of the KaibaCorp building, and Seto stepped out first, walking into the building and heading towards the elevators, commanding one right to the top floor.

"Sir, I've called an executive meeting," Gansley said, slipping through the doors right before they were about to close. The elevator quickly moved through the 62 floors, and Seto swallowed, trying to clear his popped ears. He hated that feeling.

They were greeted by another man Seto recognized, who had a less-than-pleased look on his face as he caught sight of the former executive and heir to the KaibaCorp fortune.

"Lector," Seto said, reluctantly taking the other man's hand in a firm handshake.

"So, I suppose you've already told him about the publification?" Lector said, shooting Gansley a covert look. Seto caught it, and knew that something was up.

"What's happening?" Seto asked, trying not to let the irritation show in his voice.

"Ah, well you see, Mr. Kaiba," Lector said, a crooked smile breaking out on his face. "With the recent death of your father—"

"_Adoptive_ father," Seto cut in.

"Yes, yes, Gozaburo," Lector continued. "He had named you as heir, but with your disappearance, the board voted to take the company public. There's nothing we can do about it, but your shares will give you a significant amount of money."

His eyes watched Seto's anxiously, trying to gauge for his reaction. What they got was anything from what they expected.

"Of course, gentlemen. You've taken good care of my company up till now, I trust your actions," Seto said as diplomatically as possible. Inside, he was seething.

_How __**dare**__ they carve up my company?_

"Can I ask one favor? I'd like to get to know this company again, I want to be a part of building it up again," Seto said, trying to phrase his words with the right amount of indifference.

"You'd like a job?" Lector asked, confused.

"But, sir, you have enough money from your shares to do whatever you'd like," Gansley added. "And the company's taken quite a different road from when you were in charge, we focus on military equipment, surveillance, and technology mostly now."

"How about my old department?" Seto asked. _Someday soon I can buy it back from them._

"Sure, we've got a Bakura Ryou in charge of the old entertainment division," Gansley said, relieved that Seto wanted nothing to do with the arms division, or else their blatant illegalities would be exposed.

"We'll send you to meet with him Monday morning, after all, it is a weekend," Lector said, leading Seto back towards the elevator. "We'll get you a limo back to your mansion. Mokuba Kaiba will be back on Tuesday."

Seto rode back down the elevator by himself, brooding about the sorry condition of his company.

_Anything that bears my name has to be the best, and they're carrying on God-knows-what in my absence! Even __Mokuba__ has the good sense to get as far away from here as possible. Is there no police, no laws, __no__ justice?_

_At least my mansion still looks the same_, Seto thought with satisfaction as the limo pulled up in his driveway. Imposing dark stone built up the fortress-like exterior of his old home. He walked inside, amazed at how little had changed. It didn't even look lived-in.

He made his way up to the familiar room he stayed in as a teenager, aware that Mokuba had told him he had it redone for his arrival. True to his word, the room looked just as Seto remembered, with a few movie posters on the walls Seto definitely would _not_ have chosen.

_Sin City?__ What the hell is that? __Mokuba__ sure has a twisted sense of humor_…

His thoughts trailed off as a knock sounded on the heavy wooden door. Seto looked up from his seat on a chair by the fireplace, and said "Come in."

A maid entered, set down a tray of sandwiches and a small pitcher of iced tea, and left without a word.

Seto eyed the sandwiches hungrily, then reached for one and bit into it. _Mmm__, Turkey_.

He decided to stay in the mansion for the day, then break the news to the press on Monday when he returned to work. _If they don't already know_, he thought drily. _People coming back from the dead __is__ a pretty momentous oc__casion. Hell, I might even make the front page_.

He ate another sandwich before searching the dense armoire for some pajamas. Intercontinental flights always made him exhausted.

Sunday passed much the same, with Seto mainly watching TV or reading magazines to get an idea of the current news, watching for any sign of his company in the media. Of course, it wouldn't be _his_ company for much longer, but Seto knew there was nothing he could do about the company going public.

The next day, Seto woke up early, already feeling the lost rhythm of his youth returning. _Every morning used to be like this_, he thought as he took breakfast in his room, eating a croissant spread with strawberry jam.

He would never admit it, but having his life uprooted like it was had really shaken him. Seto thrived off of his work and the routine of his life, and suddenly not having either had left him more vulnerable than he realized. It had made it all the more easier for the League of Shadows to penetrate the carefully created shield Seto had put up to keep everything else out.

_"__Seto__, you do not realize that your situation is not the first," __Shaadi__ said as the two of them sparred over a frozen lake just out of sight of the monastery._

_"There have been many __Kaiba__ Corporations, and many Dominos. But there has been only one League of Shadows. We are immortal, while the corruption and chaos always falls. We were the ones that rebuilt Rome when it fell. Everywhere where you can imagine dishonesty, we are there in the background, waiting to save those hurt by it. __Just as we have saved you."_

_"Saved me?" __Seto__ asked as he parried __Shaadi's__ attack, feinting to the right as the blade came down upon the ice. "I came here of my own free will."_

_"But you felt our call, deep inside you," __Shaadi__ said. "You've always wanted to be here with us. You believe what we believe."_

No, he didn't. Not anymore. He doubted that he ever had, they just provided an escape from all that he knew, while keeping his past as a constant reminder of the antithesis of their solution. It was too convenient; It might as well have been tailor-made to him personally.

Although that doesn't mean he didn't want to believe it. Believing their lies and propaganda would have made life so much easier. _Following orders is a lot easier than creating your own path_, he thought grimly. _But it's much less fun, and I like my fun too much_.

He had already dressed in a dark blue suit, sans tie, when there was a knock on the door. Kaiba opened it to reveal the same maid from yesterday, who looked nervously at Seto before saying, "There's a visitor, Mr. Kaiba. Says she has some papers about something or other, and something about a will?" The maid looked confused about the message.

Seto raised an eyebrow, before getting up and walking past the maid out of the room. He stopped, turning back towards the young woman. "And be a doll and get rid of these posters. Put up something a bit more…classic. Think Van Gogh or O'Keefe." He touched the woman lightly on the shoulder, flashed her a dazzling smile, and took off towards the grand staircase that led into the entry room.

_Good, those posters will be history within an hour. I wonder what incompetent minion the company's sent for whatever it was…something about some papers…_

Seto was too lost in thought to notice the petite auburn-haired woman waiting in front of the door, drumming her fingers on a small table while she held a manila folder in her other hand, with a folded newspaper under one arm.

_It's a wonder the company's not bankrupt without me, _Seto thought, letting his hand drop off the banister when he reached the floor.

"Mr. Kaiba?" The woman asked, wondering why he was staring blankly at the wall in front of him. Seto snapped back to attention, eyes narrowing as he scanned the young woman before him.

_Who is this irritating person?_ Seto thought, taking in her loose auburn hair and green eyes, narrowed at him in a look of disdain.

"Yes?" He answered, determined not to lose the upper hand. "And who are you?"

"I'm Serenity Wheeler."

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A/N: Hope you liked this chapter! Kind of short, but I wanted to stop it here because the next chapter is going to be mainly from Serenity's POV, and you'll learn more about the situation Domino's in, and learn of some of the other character's roles. I hope this is still exciting even though you all already kind of know where the story is going because of the Batman movie, but I'm changing just enough to keep it interesting. I'm not ripping off the movie, just adapting the YGO characters to fit the roles a bit better. Also, Gansley and Lector are members of the Big 5, you'll learn how they fit in and meet the other 3 members later. Suspense!

--Kako


	3. Chapter 3

From Shadows to Shadows

Disclaimer: Sorry, I don't own YGO. And if I did, I'd never sell you Seto (glomps) xD

A/N: This chapter is in Serenity's POV. Enjoy!

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Chapter Three:

Serenity woke up with a slight headache on Sunday, mumbling under her breath as the sunlight beat a harsh path across her blanket to shine right in her face.

_This should remind me never to go drinking with Mai and Tea again_, Serenity thought, trudging to the bathroom to take a shower. Thirty minutes later she returned, about to head to the office. She could already hear the conversation in her brain.

_"On the weekend?__Seren__, you're so devoted to your career!" Tea would say._

_"Or obsessed," Mai would huff. "What about your brother, you said you'd visit him today!"_

"Oh, that's right," Serenity said aloud. She _had_ promised to visit her brother this weekend, who lived on the lower side of Domino. Serenity peeked out her window before slipping into her coat and heading out of her apartment, quickly getting into her car parked on the lonely curb.

_Nowadays just about every neighborhood should be the lower side_, she thought with regret. Serenity was tied to this city through her job as a defense attorney at the Domino courthouse. She had been prompted to study law by her uncle, who was the most honest man she'd ever known. Still, it was a hard job to do in this city. She would be the first to acknowledge the crime that seemed to spring up overnight.

_It's been this way for about ten years, now_, Serenity thought, making a left turn and parking in an empty spot on the street of her brother's apartment. She stepped out of the car and frowned, making sure it was locked. Theft was rampant in Domino, and while her car was anything but new, she still kept it in decent working order.

_Which is more than I can say for the other cars here_, she thought, pursing her lips. The car in front of her had a huge dent in the side, and the one behind hers was decked out with a paint job that had crisscrossing flames over the roof.

She hurried to her brother's apartment and rang the doorbell. The door opened, and Serenity threw herself into the arms of her brother. "Joey!" She giggled, seeing the genuine smile light up on his face. Their weekend visits were practically the only time she ever saw it; he always seemed to look so downtrodden.

Joey Wheeler was…let's just say "in-between jobs" would be the kindest way to put it. His high school grades were abysmal, and he couldn't seem to progress very far in any job. _Although, _Serenity thought with gratitude, _he did work all summer at that auto shop to help pay for my law school_.

Joey Wheeler and Mai Valentine also seemed to be stuck in a perpetual state of engagement. They had gotten engaged during Serenity's second year of college, but she wondered if they were ever actually going to tie the knot, but Joey blamed it on the state of his finances, and Mai was constantly busy in her career as a fashion consultant.

"Hey, sis, what's up?" Joey asked, clearing some papers off of the table in the kitchen and carrying them into the living room. "Get yourself a drink if you want," he called as Serenity opened the fridge.

_Ugh, Miller __Lite__ at __**this**__ hour? I don't think so_, she thought, searching for something with as little sugar or caffeine as possible. The throbbing pain in her temple reminded her that her headache still hadn't gone away yet. She pulled a diet Dr. Pepper and closed the refrigerator door, sitting down on one of the wooden chairs that constituted the dining set she'd bought him as an early wedding present.

She opened the soda and took a sip. Swallowing, she looked up as Joey came back into the room.

"Hey, look at this," he said, sliding a newspaper under her nose. She could make out the front headlines, "_Presumed dead billionaire returns from ten-year vacation._"

The words, '_Joey, we don't know any presumed dead billionaires' _died on her lips as she saw the grainy photo of one Seto Kaiba gracefully stepping out of his limousine in front of the KaibaCorp building.

Her sharp intake of breath was probably not the reaction Joey was expecting. "Yeah, it says he was in Switzerland for nine years. I mean, wouldn't dat get boring?"

Serenity scanned the article, frowning as she read it. _None of this makes any __sense,__ I saw the files from the case __Gozaburo__ filed. He clearly believed him dead, or at least wanted us to all believe it_.

"Hey Joey, can I keep this?" She asked, her hands already folding the newspaper as she carried the empty can of Dr. Pepper to the recycling bin.

"Seren, where you going?" Joey asked, confused. "I just remembered I have to go to work today," she said, turning back to give her brother a hug.

"Alright, but stop by for dinner, ok?" Joey asked. He burst into another smile when Serenity nodded.

She headed back towards her car, intent on going to the courthouse and pulling up those old files. It would take all day to analyze them, but she knew the article was wrong.

_If you want the right answers, you have to go to the source_.

She decided against heading straight to the Kaiba mansion. After all, she needed a battle plan first. She doubted Kaiba was behind this article, as it made him out to be some flamboyant playboy, and not the ruthless executive she'd seen dueling before his mysterious disappearance.

The next day Serenity woke up early, dressing in her business attire as usual as she gathered all the necessary papers. She would stop by the Kaiba mansion this morning, and try to make some sense out of the information she had received, or more correctly, _lack thereof_.

Serenity had discovered some papers from the courthouse, but others seemed to be conveniently misplaced. The copy of Gozaburo Kaiba's will especially confused her, as it seemed to be too conveniently written. His lawyers had been reluctant to keep it from getting to the public, and Serenity was shocked to see when she saw it that Seto Kaiba had actually been included in it, although the majority of his shareholding power was willed to the COO, Gansley.

Serenity paused, wondering who would be the CEO with Gozaburo's recent death. She remembered reading that it had been a simple heart attack to bring down the powerful businessman.

The gates to the imposing Kaiba mansion opened, and Serenity drove through, ignoring the butler who made to take the keys from her as she walked up to the door. "I won't be long," she told them, tucking the folder of papers and her copy of the newspaper under one arm. She told the butler that she was a DA and needed to talk to Seto, and hoped that he was still there. The butler told her that he would arrive in a minute, and offered her some water, which she declined.

Serenity saw Seto appear at the top of the stairs, and had to smile. He didn't seem to look any different from the last time she had seen him in a dueling tournament in the city, probably one he hosted himself. The grainy picture in the newspaper hardly did him justice. If he wasn't such a creep and always made fun of her brother, she would have found him attractive.

As he got closer, she tried to make eye contact with him, but he seemed lost in thought. His eyes looked empty, and not just because of their deep blue color. While his face looked unlined and youthful, his eyes looked like those of a man much older. They looked like he'd been through hell.

_Hardly a ten-year vacation_, she thought wryly.

Seeing she wasn't getting his attention, she tapped her foot impatiently. "Mr. Kaiba?" She asked. He looked up, meeting her eyes, the familiar arrogant smirk returning to his face. For one brief moment, she considered the validity of the article.

"Yes?" He asked. "And who are you?"

She considered glaring at him, before remembering she had to act professionally. "I'm Serenity Wheeler."

She waited for his reaction. She'd done work dealing with KaibaCorp before, but he probably didn't know of it. "I'm with the Domino district attorney's office, but I've been investigating this case on my own."

Seto arched an eyebrow. Serenity was disconcerted by the way he was staring at her with his glittering eyes. _Is he mocking me?_

A brief look of realization passed through Seto's eyes, and his smirk deepened. "You're a Wheeler?" He asked. Serenity scowled. _Two can play this game. _"Yes, I'm pretty sure I said that already."

"So you're the sister of that mutt," Seto mused, rubbing his chin with one thumb. Serenity crossed her arms, dropping the folder on the table. "I came here to ask you about _these_ before the investigation opens! For example, did you know that some files from KaibaCorp finances are missing? And that you're included in your adoptive father's will after he had you declared _dead_? And this article is full of inconsistencies. What have you really been doing for the past nine years?"

Seto was amused, but he hardly had time for this. He had a meeting to make. Although, her information _was_ interesting.

"We'll continue this meeting later," Seto drawled, taking the folder off the table. Serenity grabbed it back. "These belong to the courthouse. You can't have them, but feel free to take _this_." She threw the newspaper down on the table.

Yes, now she was sure he was mocking her. "I'll be in touch," he said, sweeping out the entrance. She stood there, gaping. _I yell__ at him, and he just walks out__ like that!_

"Oh, and Serenity?" He asked. "Yes, _Mr. _Kaiba," She said, emphasizing the word. _Professionalism __got__ thrown out the window when he __mocked my family!_

"Move that piece of junk you call a car. It's an eyesore."

Serenity screamed inside her head, wanting to throw the folder at the wall. An expensive-looking vase caught her eye, and she seriously considered drop-kicking it out a window. She was already imagining the sound it would make when she remembered she had to get to work. She hastily rushed out to her car, throwing the folder in and buckling her seat belt.

_The nerve of that man! All I wanted to do was find out the truth behind this madness, but I'll let the lawyers eat him alive instead._

In a different and much more opulent car, Seto Kaiba lounged as he made his way towards the KaibaCorp headquarters for his "first" day of work.

---------------

A/N: How'd you like it? I so enjoy writing from Serenity's POV, I can make it much funnier, but I'm not sure if I'm going to write from her perspective anymore in the story, I might just stick to Seto's unless it's a scene that Serenity is only in, etc.

Love already? Of course not. They have to get to know each other first, and right now, Seto's not making that easy. I'm going to draw this out as long as I can (sorry if it tortures my readers, lol)

I'll get the next chapter up soon!

Love, Kako


	4. Chapter 4

From Shadows to Shadows

Disclaimer: Last time I checked, I don't own YGO. And I check often.

----------

Chapter Four

Seto lounged in his limo, replaying the events of that morning in his head. Inwardly, the information that Serenity woman had brought him had really put him on edge. He had no idea to what lengths the situation had been twisted, and he was afraid he was playing right into their game.

_I'll have to meet with her soon_, he thought. _She can provide me with the answers I seek about my company and this city_.

He frowned, fingers rubbing the leather handle of his briefcase. Mokuba would be back tomorrow, but unfortunately, Seto couldn't wait that long.

_It's a shame there is no one in this city I can trust. Doing everything __myself__ takes up too much of my valuable time_.

The limo jerked to a stop at a red light abruptly, and Seto was thrown out of his reverie. Snapping his eyes open, he suddenly became aware of the intense darkness of the limo. Black leather seats, black interior, black carpeting. He normally kept the lights out and the windows up, but now the darkness seemed almost claustrophobic, constricting his breathing as the smoky tendrils seemed to wrap around his throat.

Seto's breathing became more erratic as he tried to lean back, his head snapping to either side as his vision swam. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the sensations the darkness brought on.

There was no escape. When he closed his eyes, the darkness followed him, seeping into his very mind as he replayed images from his training with the League, images of past dueling tournaments, and words from Shaadi and Gozaburo booming on a stereo that couldn't be muted or turned off.

He tried to breathe, but it was impossible in this darkness. A sweat broke out on his forehead, and Seto brought one hand to his head, pushing his slightly damp hair out of his face as his eyes snapped open again. It was too much; he couldn't handle it.

All of a sudden, the door clicked open. The comforting light washed over the interior, and Seto clenched his fingers over the handle of his leather briefcase, trying to calm down.

_What…what just happened? _He thought, straightening his suit as he stepped out of the limo, trying not to let any exterior signs of his discomfort show. _What's happening to me?_

"Right this way, Mr. Kaiba," a uniformed attendant told him. "The departments have been shifted since you were last here, _yours_ is located in one of the basement levels."

_Oh, joy_, Seto thought grimly. Gansley was probably living it up in his old corner office, and Seto would be delegated to a windowless cell in the bowels of the building. He would probably even have to get his own coffee.

He shrugged off the security guard, getting into the elevator by himself and going down the five floors to where his department had been relocated. The Kaiba Corporation Tower was immense, with multiple floors underground to house parking and storage for their equipment, computers, products, and of course, departments they no longer cared about. _I've been wondering why they haven't just closed it down_, Seto thought as he approached the glass doors with the inscription, "Entertainment Division" sand-blasted on the front.

He walked inside, raising an eyebrow at the bleakness of the cavernous room. Some of it was divided up into the ubiquitous office cubicles, and the rest was a filing mess.

"Ah, Seto Kaiba!" A happy British voice called from behind an overflowing filing cabinet. Ryou Bakura appeared, his thick white hair in disarray as he stumbled through the mess towards where Seto stood. He extended one hand in a handshake, which Seto took.

"You can call me Ryou," he said. At Seto's look, Ryou grinned sheepishly. "I'm afraid it's just me in this division until you got here, so there hasn't been much need for a decent filing system. I used to work in one section of the military supply division, working with chemicals and forensics, but that, uh, fell through," he coughed awkwardly, then gestured to the rest of the office. "Why don't I show you around?"

Seto was pretty sure he'd seen everything he needed to see, but he let Ryou guide him around the office, showing him the unused prototypes for gaming software and hologram development that Ryou had been working on.

"And what's back there?" Seto asked, pointing to a darkened corridor behind where Ryou's desk stood.

"Ah, well you see, this office connects to some of the storage rooms," Ryou said. "Other divisions have things stored here. No weapons, those are under tighter security, but a lot of the prototype armor and cool gadgets KC develops but can't market get a home here."

"Can we take a look?" Seto asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Of course," Ryou said, before shooting Seto a look. "The way I see it, all this stuff is yours already."

Seto was grateful that one of his old acquaintances was working in this department with him. It would hardly be as much fun with another incompetent minion or someone who was like a shadow of Gansley, reporting Seto's activities back to them. Seto was already sure that Ryou had done the same thing he had, and switched himself to this division so he wouldn't have to face the corruption of the other departments.

"What's this?" Seto asked, lifting a curtain in the darkened storage room. A thick black jumpsuit was displayed on a wire frame, and Seto ran one thumb over the heavy material.

"Chemical compound in the cloth," Ryou said proudly. "I helped develop it. Stronger than Kevlar."

Seto looked appreciatively at the suit. The material would cover every inch of your body, up to your neck and down to the matching gloves and boots.

"Why didn't it sell? Must be a reason all this stuff is down here," Seto asked. He had already seen several surveillance instruments and night-vision equipment, but this suit was by far the most intriguing.

"The US government didn't think a soldier's life was worth three hundred thousand dollars," Ryou quipped. "This stuff is really expensive to produce, so only one was made. I'm pretty sure the company's forgotten about everything down here," he continued, swiping a finger along a metal cabinet, pulling it back to reveal the thick coating of dust.

"Well, we better get back to work," Ryou said, looking back down the hall towards their office. "I'll show you the rest of this stuff some other day."

As they walked back, Ryou continued, "I've been having some trouble with this latest hologram server, maybe you could take a look at it?"

---------------------

(Serenity's POV)

She was late to work. Again. _Taylor's going to kill me_, she thought as she pulled into a parking spot in front of the courthouse. _If I get a parking ticket, I'm billing it to __Seto __Kaiba._

Serenity walked through the courthouse, taking the stairs to the tiny office the Domino District Attorneys used. Her boss, Tristan Taylor, was a good man, he was one of the few who supported justice and wouldn't let himself get paid off to let a case slip or some information go "missing."

She had even considered dating him, but tried to keep the relationship as professional as possible. He was as devoted to his career as she was, but that was really all they had in common.

"Serenity! Where on Earth were you?" Taylor's booming tenor asked irritatedly as he hung up the wall phone. "We've got a case in two hours! Did you pick up the necessary documents?"

"Yes, they're right here," Serenity said, pulling another folder out of her satchel. She had remembered to get them on Sunday, right after leaving Joey's.

"Who's the judge?" Serenity asked. They were pleading a case against a known hitman, but their evidence against him was shaky at best. This man had weaseled out of his past conviction and got an early parole, but Serenity felt even that was undeserved.

"It's Nesbitt," Tristan said.

Serenity wanted to swear. "He'll get off," she huffed. "We might as well be playing Parcheesi. Nesbitt's getting paid off, and you know it."

Tristan looked hesitatingly around the room, before pulling Serenity away from the door and closing it behind her. "Yes, I know that, but we'd do well to forget it when we enter that courtroom. I don't want anything bad to happen to you."

Serenity tried not to roll her eyes. "The concern is sweet, it really is. But what about the businessman that the hitman killed?" _Self-defense my ass_. "What about the future people he'll take out? This case was rigged from the start." She sat down on her desk chair, trying to fight back tears.

Too often it had led to this—all of their hard work, all of the laws they cited, the crime syndicates of the city knew more loopholes and had money gushing from their wallets like water from a fire hydrant. They just couldn't compete.

"Come on, I'll give you an early lunch to make up for it, ok?" Tristan soothed, seeing how angry Serenity had gotten. "You can join me at Marine, ok? You like that place, right?"

Serenity smiled slightly. This man never gives up.

"Oh, and I got this message for you this morning," Tristan suddenly remembered, handing Serenity the folded letter. She took it, opening it as she swiveled in her chair.

_Serenity Wheeler, join me for dinner tonight at my mansion to further discuss those documents. _

_Seto __Kaiba_

She sighed. As if this day couldn't get any worse, she'd have to see him again.

"Better make it an early dinner instead," she said, waving the letter. "I've got an invitation to the Kaiba mansion."

At Tristan's shocked face, Serenity had to stifle a laugh. "I'm doing some investigations into the reappearance of Seto Kaiba, you've read about it, right? Well, someone's trying to keep a lot of stuff covered up, and I'm going to find out what it is."

Tristan's expression immediately changed to one of concern. "You _can't_ go investigating KaibaCorp, Serenity! That's like a death wish, you know they control the city!"

"Yes," Serenity said slowly. "But I'm convinced Seto doesn't know what's going on. I have to at least try and warn him. And I'll be careful," she told him.

"Just know what you're getting yourself into," Tristan said heavily. They both turned back to their respective work, but Serenity's mind was anywhere but in that tiny office. She was thinking of a certain blue-eyed executive, and wondering what she would do when she saw him again that night.

_What __**have**__ I gotten myself into?_

-------------------------

Across downtown, Yami Motou sat as his desk in the police headquarters, looking through photos of a recent drug bust. The crime rings were getting worse than normal, and that was saying something.

He sighed, dropping the black-and-white prints on his desk. The room was empty, the other officers in his department having left to take their lunch break besides him. He slowly placed the photos back inside the envelope, stopping as a small detail popped into view. One of the thugs who had been arrested had a small tattoo on his right arm, of a gothic-looking _5_ in spiky script.

_The Big Five again_, Yami thought, his hand brushing against the gun in his holster for security. Lately, that particular crime syndicate had been getting more and more frenzied in its moves, no longer content with staying in the shadows and instead bringing their illegalities to the surface.

_And the worst part is_, Yami thought as he ran one hand through his tri-colored hair, _no one is in a position to stop it. If anyone makes a move against the Big Five, they'll just hunt you __down,__ and everyone in your family for good measure_. He closed the folder, standing up as he suddenly became aware of how hungry he was.

_There's __gotta__ be someone out there strong enough_, Yami thought as his hand gripped the cold metal doorknob of his office door. _Before it's too late_

------------------------

A/N: I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who's reviewed so far, your support means more to me than I can say. To anyone reading: your comments would be greatly appreciated. Reviews make my heart sing with joy!

Also, several of Bakura's lines were taken straight from the movie, "all of this stuff is yours anyway" and "they didn't think a soldiers life was worth 300k." I just borrowed them, I really wanted to incorporate some more details from the movie, and I really like those two lines. I also gave a bit of foreshadowing with Bakura's character, and you've met another of the Big Five, Nesbitt. I'm using the English names because I honestly like them better, so that's why I'm telling you here who each character corresponds to, because I doubt many of you are familiar with their (the Big 5's) English names.

One other thing: Seto is not "afraid of the dark." That's a bit too wimpy for him xD He is just afraid of the darkness inside his own soul, because he doesn't trust himself to keep it from taking over like it did at the monastery.

Also, Tristan in this story is Serenity's boss. It's slightly AU in that regard, because in this story he doesn't share their same past and isn't friends with Yami, Joey, etc. Hope that wasn't too confusing for you to read. I am on spring break starting tomorrow, so it might be a week before I can update again (I won't have that great an internet connection)

--Kako


	5. Chapter 5

From Shadows to Shadows

Disclaimer: Don't own!

A/N: This chapter starts in Serenity's POV.

* * *

Chapter Five

Serenity had been working near non-stop all day, and she was right; they had lost their case. The criminal had gotten off with parole and mandatory counseling as their only punishment, and Serenity was livid.

At least, Tristan would remind himself later, she had the professionalism to refrain from shouting her disapproval until the two had left the courtroom and were standing in the expansive lobby of the courthouse.

"It's completely unfair," Serenity whined, cringing when she realized just how juvenile she sounded. But that didn't stop her. "Did you know the crime rate in Domino is one of the highest in the nation? But we have judges and police officers who don't do anything to help bring it down. They're taking bribes, I just know it!"

"Shhh!" Tristan hurriedly shushed her, grabbing Serenity's arm and pulling her behind one of the tall white ionic plaster columns supporting the arching ceiling in the airy room. "Don't talk about that here, Serenity! You of all people should know what happens to people who try to go against the system."

His eyes were wide with fear and concern for himself and for her, and Serenity's own eyes began to gaze downward in defeat. _She_ wasn't strong enough to take on Domino and win; she was just one person who could easily be swallowed up by the masses. One minnow trying to swim upstream against a raging current.

"Don't do anything rash," Tristan cautioned. That's Nesbitt's last case this week," he said hopefully, trying to get her to smile. It worked somewhat, as the corners of Serenity's lips quirked upwards as she met his gaze.

"I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you," he said, rubbing her arm reassuringly through her black blazer. Serenity saw nothing but kindness and concern in his eyes, but knew there was a tinge of cowardice there as well. Tristan knew the corruption was there; its presence in this city was so blatantly obvious one would have to be blind to see it. But he would take that disability in order to keep himself safe, and alive. Attorneys in Domino seemed to have the shelf-life of a uranium ion.

Serenity nodded, mumbling halfhearted promises to keep herself out of danger and stop publicly querying prominent political figures if they were indeed accepting bribes for their underhanded deals. Tristan was going home for the day, but Serenity still had a couple of papers to file before she returned to the Kaiba mansion for the second time that day.

_Really, wouldn't once have been enough?_ She thought as she swung open the door to her and Tristan's tiny office, frowning at the mass of scattered papers thrown over desks, shelves, and floor alike. Whenever they had a difficult case, the office always seemed to look like this, no matter how hard Serenity tried to keep it in order. And try as they might, every single one of their calculated moves and flawless legal proceedings to quote, they were still outmaneuvered by the opposition.

Serenity's phone began to ring, and she stumbled further into the office, trying to sight the silver plastic without much success. She finally spotted the telltale vibration accompanying her new ringtone under a pile of documents, and leafed through the papers, snatching the phone.

"_You got me trippin' oh, stumbling oh, flippin' oh, fumbling oh, clumsy cause_—"

She always managed to flip open the phone before the ringtone ended with the lines, "_Clumsy cause I'm falling in love_." She didn't need any more reminders that love, like always, was conspicuously absent from her life.

At first she had gotten the ringtone just to annoy Tristan, but lately it was beginning to get on her nerves as well. She made a mental note to change it after she returned from dinner at Kaiba's.

"Hello?" She asked, cradling the phone against her left shoulder as she flipped over the documents the phone had been resting under. _Perfect_.

"No, I do not want to buy term life insurance," she started immediately upon hearing the first words spoken to her from the other line. Tristan would probably tell her life insurance was a good idea, but Serenity hated telemarketers of any kind. "Yes, I'm sure…Joey?" She asked, recognizing the heavily disguised voice on the other end.

"No, this is Mister…" here the voice trailed off into loud laughter. "Crap, I've got nothing," he admitted.

"Joey, prank calling me at work is horrible!" Serenity argued, trying not to let her anger from the day lash out at her brother, no matter how ill-timed his pranks seemed to be.

"Sorry, sis, but Mai left today, and well, I'm _bored_," he told her plainly, and Serenity fought the mixed urge to laugh and groan at the same time.

"Well, then get a puppy!" She exclaimed, straightening the folders and documents with one hand and moving across the office to a filing bin and opening it, dropping them into their proper slot.

"Look, Joey, I have to go, I've got dinner plans," she told him, grabbing her purse from her chair and heading for the door, keys in hand.

"_What_? No, it's strictly business." Serenity was irritated that her brother would still try and regulate her life when it came to men. She figured speaking her mind in this courthouse while unarmed was every bit as dangerous, if more so, than a relationship with any of the men who had asked her out over the past several months.

"Joey, I'll talk to you later, okay? Bye," she told him, flipping the phone closed, then on second thought turning it solely to vibrate. That would do until she got a new ringtone. She heard Tristan hated "Tattoo" as much as he disliked Fergie.

Several minutes later, and Serenity was behind the wheel of her car, pulling it out of the main parking lot and into the heart of Domino. While the Kaiba Corp building wasn't far from her at all, his mansion was clear on the other side of town, in the "good" side of town.

In her mind, Serenity referred to it as the "money" side of town. As far as she knew, nothing _good_ ever came from there at all.

She cast a quick glance at her watch, clenching her fingers back around the steering wheel afterwards. Five minutes to six.

_Well, the man never specified a particular time_, she huffed internally. _That's his own fault_.

She finally arrived at the Kaiba mansion at twelve past six, locking her car and stuffing the keys in her pocket as she ascended the small concrete stairs leading to the giant doors set into the dark stone of the mansion exterior. She was ushered inside quickly by who appeared to be the same butler or chauffeur who had shown her in that morning, the relieved expression on his face evidence that he had been waiting for her for awhile.

Serenity grimaced, biting her tongue lightly. _Oops_, she thought. Better add an angry executive to the list of people she had already or planned to piss off that day.

"Right this way, Miss," the butler said, leading her through the opulent foyer of the mansion and through a large hallway, Serenity grimly noting it was about the width of her office. Before long, she found herself being led into a large dining room, a small square table in the middle set for two.

Serenity looked around, aware that the butler had mysteriously disappeared. Of course, Kaiba was nowhere to be found. She moved closer to the table, noting with some relief that the lit candles had not melted much, so they had not been lit for very long.

"Ah, Miss Wheeler," a rich, cultured voice spoke from behind her. Serenity turned, trying to school her features into indifference upon seeing Seto Kaiba again. His voice seemed to send shivers down her spine, and it wouldn't do to seem intimidated by him.

"Mr. Kaiba," Serenity said, diplomatically holding her hand out in greeting. Seto gave it a perfunctory glance, then grasped her hand in his own in a firm handshake.

"I apologize if you have been waiting long," she said cautiously. "There was no time on the letter you sent me."

Seto laughed quietly as he motioned for her to sit at the table, uniformed waiters appearing out of nowhere and pulling her chair back for her, disappearing as quickly as they'd arrived.

"No, there was not," he stated. "But your timing is impeccable. Tell me, Serenity"—at this Serenity's eyes narrowed and she suddenly became aware of the salad on the plate in front of her—"you said you had information about my corporation that was being kept hidden?"

Serenity fought back another shiver at the way he said '_my_ corporation.' She nodded, a few lettuce leaves on her fork. "I believe it all has to do with the Big Five."

"The Big Five?" Seto asked, in the mocking tone that made Serenity want to see whether the raspberry vinaigrette in her salad would stain Seto's expensive suit.

"Yes, the unnamed crime syndicate? I believe that they are behind most of the recent crime and illegal proceedings in Domino. Five men, somehow connected to the police, the courts, and the companies? They control most of the wealth in this city, and what they don't control is being manipulated right into their pockets," she finished distastefully.

Seto raised an eyebrow. _The Big Five?_

"Do you have any idea who any of these men are?" Seto asked, his voice dangerously low. Serenity bit her lip, unsure of whether or not she should voice her opinions on this matter. Unsure of whether or not she could _trust_ Seto not to be as corrupted as they and turn her in.

"Promise me this information will stay here," Serenity said, her voice braver than she felt. "I like my job, _and_ my life, and have no intention of losing either."

Seto's mouth turned upwards into a smirk. He nodded in her direction. "You have my word."

Serenity relaxed, looking down to see that she had finished the salad and a main course of chicken and roasted sliced potatoes was being placed in front of her.

"I believe one of the judges in Domino is highly connected in the crime syndicate, but I don't know if he's at the top or not," Serenity said. "Evan Nesbitt," she added, keenly aware of how suddenly her appetite had left her.

"I see," Seto said thoughtfully.

"Mr. Kaiba," Serenity began, meeting Seto's piercing gaze with her own eyes. "What are you planning to do with this information?"

Seto was silent for a few moments, but Serenity could've sworn she heard the murmured, "bring them to justice, of course." What justice could he possibly bring?

Serenity suddenly became aware of the plate in front of her being removed, her chair pulled back, and Seto's hand on her arm leading her out of the immense dining room. "I believe that is enough for tonight," she heard him say, again softly.

"Thank you for the dinner, Mr. Kaiba," Serenity told him, smiling slightly. While it had been unsettling at times, the food was delicious and Seto's company wasn't really that bad. She much preferred this cold, brooding Kaiba to the sarcastic, mocking one, although at the moment she didn't really know why.

"Think nothing of it, Miss Wheeler," he told her, and Serenity had to marvel at his distantness. It seemed Seto had not quite returned to his past life, and was still adjusting; he actually let her leave without making a single jibe about her car, her brother, or her department-store suit. In fact, he seemed genuinely interested in what she knew about his company, and seemed as against the corruption in Domino as she was.

Serenity left the mansion further unsettled, but sure that she had just come a whole lot farther on her attempt to rid the city of the corruption that had seeped into its every pore.

But Seto could prove to be an interesting ally. While she had access to all the information behind-the-scenes, Seto was on the front, and had the money to throw his finances behind anything that would work against the crime syndicates. She was sure he was as disgusted with it as she was.

Could she trust him? This mysterious stranger she knew nothing about, who she watched duel as a teenager and seen from afar, but never knew anything more than his name and his title?

She bit her lip, her fingers again clutching reflexively around the worn leather of the steering wheel of her car.

Yes, she thought she could.

* * *

Seto Kaiba leisurely enjoyed a glass of wine after he had parted ways with Serenity. He now had the name of one of the members of the Big Five, and he was sure he could get the others from the judge, Nesbitt. From the way Serenity spoke about him, he knew she would be happy to see him go.

Not that she would know it was him, of course.

Tomorrow his younger brother would return, and he could finally put his plan into action. He needed someone else to help him, someone he could trust completely. Serenity was too weak, he sensed, to be able to agree with what he was planning. And Bakura was still under control of the company to some degree, but he could be useful in other ways.

It was the suit that first gave him the idea, after all.

It would need to be painted, and adjusted slightly to meet his specific needs, but it would do perfectly. He would also need weapons; he was sure he could find _something_ in the massive holding cells in the basements of the Kaiba Corp building.

Seto Kaiba was not a stupid man, he knew he could never do this using his own name and face, so he was about to create a new one. Combine the stealth of the color black with the flutter of wings in the night, with the added tremors of a creature that most feared above all else.

Using a creature usually associated with darkness itself to bring down the darkness in Domino really did have a certain draw to the blue-eyed executive.

From the shadows would rise a new form of judgment. And they _would_ be receiving judgment.

_Batman_…

* * *

A/N: No, I have not forgotten this story! Please do not worry! It's just I've been feeling very overwhelmed with the end of the year and I've been more motivated to work on my HP fanfiction. Expect a new chapter every 2-3 weeks at the most, probably. If you want me to get the next chapter up faster, then leave reviews!

--Kako


	6. Chapter 6

From Shadows to Shadows

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

This chapter returns to Seto's POV. Enjoy!

Chapter Six

Seto watched Serenity leave from his study on the ground floor, a huge Victorian style window letting him see out onto the front driveway from the thin white curtains. He grinned darkly, his lips curving up thinly in an almost sinister smirk.

But he really was happy. As happy as he could be, considering that his company was in the clutches of a couple of madmen looking to draw blood. His blood.

And now he had a way to enact his revenge on the people who had wronged his city.

And a name…He reminded himself. And not just one name, he was forced to remember, as the name of his red-haired visitor kept replacing the name of the judge in his mind as he tried to plan his next actions.

_Serenity Wheeler_, he thought with a further quirk of his lips.

Two could play at this dangerous game she had become unmeshed in. She had put herself in real danger coming to him tonight, and sharing the information she did. He thought she didn't fully appreciate what she had done, and the true difficulties she had put herself in.

It wouldn't be long now before they came for her.

The thought twisted something in Seto's stomach, and he raised one hand to rub the skin over the organ in compliance. His steak had been cooked perfectly, so that couldn't be it. Maybe he was suddenly allergic to the salad dressing?

Whatever the reason, Seto dismissed the momentary twinge from his mind. If he was put in the situation, he would use his alias to save her, if need be. He already had the first contact; tomorrow he would need to return to work and gather more equipment.

He smiled again, this time a genuine one. Tomorrow his brother would also be returning to Domino, and to the Kaiba mansion. Mokuba would definitely be able to help, his thoughtful mind would probably come up with something Seto had yet to figure out.

One more thing…

Seto's brief smile quickly turned into a frown. He would have problems with the police. He was sure at least one of the big five was high up in the police network, and they wouldn't take kindly to a masked vigilante usurping their methods of catching criminals and delivering justice.

Something they had been trying to do for years. Unsuccessfully, he might add.

His smirk returned; he actually knew someone in the police force. His old dueling nemesis, Yami Mutou, had joined the force soon after graduating high school. His sense of justice and selflessness had led him, albeit misguidedly, to join forces with the police. He might as well have hid all his talents from the world, for all the good they were doing at the moment.

Yami was always the one for the fancy costumes and extravagantly well-coordinated outfits; Seto wondered what he'd think if he could only see him now. The two hadn't seen each other since well before Seto had left Domino, but it wouldn't be too hard to set up some sort of meeting.

Seto returned to his study, a large room off of the main floor. It was reached only through what appeared to be a closet located in one corner of the dining room, a design quirk he had appreciated when creating his own super-modified computer systems and gaming devices. Now, all that would come in handy for a completely different purpose.

_Although_, he thought, liking just how conveniently everything seemed to fall into place. _I should be able to use my developed hologram technologies for my cause_.

He settled himself into his leather computer chair and typed a few short keystrokes into his computer to activate it, his fingers dancing deftly over the keys as he further scaled lists of pages pertaining to his company and his past exploits in the digital and gaming worlds. Had anyone else been around to see it, they would surely have seen the drawn lines around Seto's mouth and jaw relax just slightly as he returned to the one part of him where he felt completely at ease.

* * *

The car door slammed shut with a loud '_thud_' as Seto ascended the steps to his house after returning to work the next day. He had refused his lunch break, taking the time to scope out the huge holding rooms of prototype KaibaCorp equipment. He had been unable to take the suit with him this time, but he did take a series of mechanized and magnetically charged instruments that combined together into a sleek black belt. Seto had been impressed by the biometrically sealed compartments on the belt, and felt that he could adapt it just slightly to match his own fingerprints such that no one else could ever be able to get into it. He had found space for a radio or cell phone-like communication device, along with spaces for flash-bang grenades (conveniently also located in the KC holding cells), a grappling gun, and collapsible sharp-edged throwing star-type weapons.

No sooner had he opened the door when a black-haired man, slightly shorter than Seto himself, bolted through the empty space between the door and the frame and launched himself at Seto.

"Brother! You're back!" Mokuba yelled with glee, giving his older brother a hug. Seto's arms seemed to automatically wrap around his brother's shoulders to return the hug, but the gesture still seemed strange to him, after all these years.

Mokuba too looked different. His eyes and face still retained the youthful childishness he had as a child, but he was now almost as thin and tall as Seto, and his thick black hair was still shaggy over his face but styled slightly shorter, part of it tied in a short ponytail at his neck.

Seto paused for a moment to take in Mokuba's current wardrobe, his nose wrinkling slightly. His brother's love of bright colors had not left his as he grew older, and it often seemed to Seto as though Mokuba got dressed in the dark. His bright orange and purple long-sleeved t-shirt seemed to clash horribly with his hair and his green tennis shoes and jeans.

"Come on, I want to tell you about my trip," Mokuba continued, pulling Seto through the front doors.

Seated comfortably in a kitchen nook area surrounded by plates of chocolate-chip cookies, Mokuba crunched away happily in-between telling Seto stories about Russia and asking him about his own journeys over the past years. Seto was hesitant to answer most of them, and the single cookie he had taken remained uneaten even as Mokuba devoured whole plates.

"Seto, honestly, you can tell me," Mokuba told him, as Seto looked over his shoulder for the fifth time that afternoon, his habit before answering any of Mokuba's questions.

"I want to show you something," Seto responded, leading his brother into the study and to a locked cabinet built of very thick industrial steel. A thumbprint and a code later, and the door unlocked. Seto pulled out the utility belt he had taken earlier.

Mokuba gave an appreciative whistle. "Wow, what's that? Did KaibaCorp make that?"

_Nice deductive skills, _Seto noted with a smile. Hopefully the rest of Domino wouldn't be as quick to catch on as his brother, in case they got a little too close to his toys.

Seto did not answer his brother's question, but instead proceeded to tell his brother the true story of how he had spent the near decade in Europe, and what he planned to do now that he was back in Domino.

"…wow," was Mokuba's soft response once Seto was finished. He had left out some details he didn't feel quite ready to share with anyone, but gave enough so Mokuba knew the degree that he had been affected by the corruption in both Domino and KaibaCorporation and the monastery where he had been expected to blindly kill others without reason.

"When do you plan to do all this again?" Mokuba asked weakly, staring again at the high-tech belt resting on the heavy wooden desk.

"Soon," was Seto's only response.

"Well, then I'm going to need more cookies," Mokuba replied with a grin. "You know how easily all these things are going to be traced back to KaibaCorp, you're going to need one hell of an alibi, we need to reinvent your whole persona to get you as far away as this 'Batguy' you talked about—"

"Bat_man_," Seto interjected.

"Yeah, that," Mokuba replied offhandedly. "How much are Gansley and Lector offering you for your shares?"

Seto told him the amount.

Mokuba whistled again, clearly stunned. "You could buy a _million_ of these things!" He said, poking the shiny-edged belt with one finger. The compartments would not open for him, and Seto would not program his biometrics to be able to open it anytime soon. His first reaction upon seeing the size of the containers had been to remark, "you could fit a cookie in there!"

_Yes_, Seto thought sardonically. _The last time I checked, we were using cookies for measurement instead of the metric system_.

"So, I've got an idea," Mokuba said again, filling Seto with a sense of foreboding. Mokuba's ideas were always farfetched and outlandish, but that seemed to work for him. When applied to Seto, his ideas never seemed to work out quite the same.

"You've got all that money, so you need to be seen using it in ways that don't connect you to black ops type equipment or surveillance gear," Mokuba continued.

"How so?" Seto asked, typing away on his computer as he worked towards designing a hologram-inspired logo that could be broadcasted into the sky to alert the police. They could bury as much paperwork as they wanted, but when faced with hard, tangible, _public_ evidence they would have to do their jobs.

"You know, do things that other people with as much money as us would do. Date supermodels. Buy things that aren't for sale." Mokuba's words were actually making sense.

Seto wasn't particularly looking forward to it, but his brother did have a point. "It could work," he acknowledged.

"It sounds like a lot of fun!" Mokuba said. "Hey, do you need a wingman?"

If there had been any cookies left on the plate, they would have been thrown at Mokuba.

* * *

Serenity was driving through the mess that was Domino morning traffic, but felt unusually happy that morning after a coffee and a bagel when she had woken up a few minutes before her alarm. As she turned the corner and the courthouse came into view, the sight that greeted her made her stomach seize up in knots.

Several police cars stood parked outside, lights still blazing although the sirens stood silent. Police officers had even cordoned off a section of the tall pillars on the outside with crime scene tape, and she felt her fingers shaking on the wheel as she pulled into the nearest parking space she could find. Normally police officers were involved somehow with most of the cases here, but this time she felt an actual crime had occurred and not just an officer acting as a witness or case expert. Serenity hurried out of her car, locking it as she walked towards the first officer she saw.

"Excuse me, but what is going on?" Serenity asked. "I work here," she added last-minute, sure that it would at least get her into the building. She tried to find some optimism in the situation. _Hey, maybe I'll get the day off_. She had yet to see Tristan in the mess of law officials and police officers in the parking lot and steps of the courthouse.

"Come with me, miss," the officer told her, leading her up the stairs and nearer the entrance of the building, where one officer holding a clipboard was checking names off of a list, presumably employees. Serenity joined the short line, and was just about to give her name to the officer when a familiar face dashed up to her, concern written in his brown eyes.

"Serenity, thank God you're here," Tristan Taylor told her, pulling her arm to lead her inside the building. "It's ok, she's with me," he told the officer.

"What happened here? I haven't heard a word," Serenity told Tristan, her voice lowered.

"There was a break-in overnight, its pretty bad," Tristan told her, steering her in the direction of an officer who was clearly in charge by the way he gave orders to several other cops still in the room.

Serenity gave a sharp intake of breath. "Tristan, it wasn't _our_ office!" Her face was pale.

Tristan didn't answer her, but she knew it was theirs.

"Officer Mutou, this is my partner, Serenity," Tristan said, as the tall man turned around, his tri-colored hair loose and not bound under a regulation cap, as most officer's was.

"Yami," he answered in a deep baritone, shaking Serenity's hand.

"Yami," she answered reluctantly. "What happened here?" It was the third time she'd asked that question.

"Come with us, we need you to identify if anything was lost or stolen," Yami told her, leading Serenity and Tristan back through the maze of police tape surrounding broken windows and plant boxes, as well as the broken door that had led to their office.

Serenity let out a gasp when she saw what remained of their office, and felt her legs begin to give out. Only both Tristan and Yami's arms around her own kept her from falling.

Not only had the room been trashed, but papers and files had been burned, the furniture burned away in parts leaving charred and blackened edges where drawers and legs had been. Dirt and broken glass was everywhere, and all of their computers had been ripped apart, the cables slashed and disc fragments littered across the room. Pen ink and what looked like blood stained the walls and carpet, and even the ceiling looked slashed and torn.

"Is that…blood?" She asked, horrified.

Yami shook his head, puzzled. "No, we've ran tests on it and it seems to be concentrated juice from a rare species of flower, we don't know yet what connections that would have to this case. It's not even from the region. Do either of you have any enemies or know anyone who might want to do something like this to you?"

Serenity nearly laughed, the entire _city_ probably wanted to do her in, but _s_he felt lightheaded from a strange, pungent aroma that seemed to seep into her nostrils from every angle. The more she inhaled, the more she seemed shocked that it had taken her so long to register the presence of the scent. And through the haze, she noticed one object in the room that had been left pristine, sitting right on her desk where she had left it, tucked into the corner of a book. But she knew instantly what it was.

The letter from Seto Kaiba.

* * *

A/N: I'm terribly sorry for the long absence, but wisdom teeth and a dash of writer's block tend to do that to a person. I hope this made up for it!

As always, please leave a review on your way out!


	7. Chapter 7:Interlude

From Shadows to Shadows

A/N: This section was meant to be included in the previous chapter, but was unintentionally left out. I'm adding it separately, just because some people might not have gotten to read it if I replaced the previous chapter now. I apologize for the shortness, but that's why it's titled _Interlude_, as kind of a branch between chapters 6 and 8, because it doesn't feature any of the main characters. So, here's the long-awaited arrival of The Scarecrow.

* * *

Chapter Seven—_Interlude _

Lightning crackled across the sky over the dark brick building as the night wore close to its half, the bright flashes of light the only things that would have made the crooked-looking building visible during the blackness of light.

The building took advantage of the unusual geography of Domino, as it was located on the other side of a fairly large river, the same side that the 'poorer' part of town was sited. On clear days or nights unlike this one, people could even see the lights from the tall skyscrapers and hear the roar of the EL-train as it shot across the bridge from one side to the other.

Another flash of lightning.

_It does that quite often here_, the tall man in his office noted, his grin twisting up in as sharp an angle as the crackles of lightning, the delayed thunder nearly matching the three sharp raps upon the door.

"Come in," Bakura called, still bent over the assorted papers and files on his desk. He had been going through them for hours, but there were still many more cases waiting, and many more patients to see before the night was over.

_Life in an insane asylum is so very, very exciting_.

"Mr. Bakura, so wonderful to see you again," the first man said who entered the room, moving to extend his hand over Bakura's desk.

He ignored it, peering up at the man. "Gansley, what an _honor_," Bakura said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I see you've brought Crump too, as well."

The second man was much shorter than Gansley, and wider, with dark hair and a sharp nose. Both men were dressed all in black, with black trenchcoat-type raincoats over their crisp suits.

Gansley removed his hand, but the two remained standing as there were no other chairs in Bakura's office save the one he sat in himself.

"We came to further discuss the business proposition we suggested to you earlier," Gansley said smoothly. "You know the city doesn't have the finances to keep a separate asylum open for much longer. We, however, do not have that problem."

Crump let out a low tittering laugh at those words. "No problem at all," he echoed.

"We would like to put your brilliant mind to work. We would like to see what you can do with _this_," he said, taking a small blue flower out of his inner jacket pocket. The flower's color was vibrant, and looked like it had just been picked that day.

Bakura looked on with mild interest. "It is just a flower."

"Not any ordinary flower," Crump told him, rocking forward slightly in place. "_Smell it_," he told him, his voice becoming louder and louder to Bakura as the flower inched closer and closer to his nose.

Instantly he withdrew it, his interest fully roused. "Where did you get this?"

"That is unimportant," Gansley told him. "We want to see the full range of effects on people. Utilized correctly, it can be quite potent. We want to see what you can do with it."

"You want me to test it here?" Bakura asked, pressing the flower's stem into his desk as he rose from his seat.

"No," Crump said furtively, with a knowing look at Bakura. "_You_ want to test it here."

Bakura's grin returned. "Yes, gentlemen, I believe we have a deal." He moved to escort both men out into the hall, swiftly pocketing the flower as he passed the front of his desk.

"Don't worry," Gansley told him. "Soon, you will not have to worry about these halls remaining empty for much longer."

Bakura's lips closed, but the grin still remained.

"Crump will be your liaison from now on," Gansley continued as the three paused at the door. "More shipments of these chemicals will be arriving soon."

Bakura swung the heavy door open for them. "I can't wait."

And he couldn't. As he passed by the long hall to his office, voices called out to him through the cells, hands reaching through the bars. "H-Help me," one called, his eyes scanning widely through the all-white cell and hallway.

Bakura clucked his tongue as he approached one particular cell. This prisoner was restrained, as he often got violent during his testing or treatments.

_I don't know what he means by it_, Bakura thought idly, unlocking the door by the keypad on the right. He slipped into the room.

"Good evening, Guest number twenty-three," Bakura greeted. At the sound and sight of Bakura, the man began to shake, convulsing as he tried to get away, even as Bakura came closer. "You'll be the first one. Congratulations."

"What, no celebrations? No balloons?" Bakura laughed, tilting his head back slightly.

Still, the man did not respond, breathing in and out sharply as he strained the bonds that held him to the chair, twisting his head about to try and free himself.

"Well, then how about a _flower_."

Bakura held the flower mere millimeters from the man's nose, and his eyes widened sharply at the first inhalation.

Then, he screamed.

And Bakura kept laughing.

He leaned over the man, his maniacal grin widening even more as his voice boomed out, "_Does this scare you?_"

The man kept screaming, his eyes wide and unblinking as he could not look away, his throat already going raw as he could do nothing but scream away his voice.

"_What do you see that scares you so?_" Bakura continued, raising one hand as he bent his fingers in a claw-like fashion, swiping them through the air like claws. His white hair billowed out around his face, made even more erratic by the humidity and the static tension in the air.

_Human fear_, he thought sadistically. _The scent is more appealing to me than any flower_.

Bakura savored the aroma, an almost tangible combination of sweat, darkness, cold, and spice. Fear was so complex, so multilayered, and Bakura wanted to know every detail. What exactly comprised fear? Was it a person's life experiences? Was it innate? Did similar images cause fear in all people?

Bakura was fascinated by what made up a human's mind, but even more so than that, he wanted to know what exactly could tear it apart. The brink where a person's mind cracked and was lost to insanity.

He wanted to _know_.

But more than that, he wanted to _experience_ other people in fear. Seeing it, _causing_ it, gave a sense of power to Bakura that he also found intoxicating.

The scent of power was also alluring, as anyone who has smelled it can say.

He tore back his other hand, removing the flower from under his first patient's nose. He was done here.

Turning back towards the door, he noticed several other screams joining the man's in this room. The sound exhilarated him.

"Who's next?" He called out, relishing in the sound of the screams, drowned out by the lightning and thunder.

He passed the man who had called out earlier for his help. Approaching the keypad, he watched the man slink away in terror, sticking close to the wall, his arms wrapped around himself as he rocked back-and-forth.

_Help? You are in the wrong place_.

The lightning struck even closer to the building, and the dim wooden sign hanging outside was lit up by the momentary flash of light, making the words firmly visible to anyone who might have been passing by.

_Arkham Asylum_.

* * *

"Johnson?" The smooth, rich voice asked, holding a cell phone whose technology had been _borrowed_ from Kaiba Corporation. Small, clear, and traceless, its number was known by none. He contacted them, not the other way around.

"Yes?" The voice on the other end of the phone spoke back. This voice was harsher, but still respectful. The voice of a man who was used to giving orders, but in this one circumstance was taking them instead.

"Johnson, tell me of your progress so far. Were you successful in this lead?" The first voice asked.

"Of course I was, sir," Johnson answered. "The woman's office contained little of importance. She was the one that met with Seto Kaiba, but it is unknown of what they spoke about."

"Your equipment could not penetrate the Kaiba mansion? Interesting." The voice sounded amused.

"We have arranged the office she and her partner will be relocated into. All lines are wired, and the room is also bugged. Anything that goes on in there, we will know it."

On the other end, Christopher Johnson was very nervous, although he always was when speaking to his chief. He sounded satisfied for the moment, so Johnson was relieved. He had not failed this time. Their leader was not merciful when it came to punishing those who failed, as evidence by their current mission.

"But I understand one of our own men was recently captured by one of _your_ policemen," the voice continued, his tone growing slightly darker, but still keeping its unruffled cordiality.

Everything had been going right to plan, except for that little snag.

"I'm sorry, sir." Johnson sounded confused for a second. "I wasn't aware…he was caught for drug trafficking? Some powerful narcotic drug…"

"Which of your pathetic little officers did it?" The voice was shorter, harsher now, his slight accent more pronounced.

"It was Yami Mutou, one of our senior officers," Johnson answered.

"Get rid of him. And tell Keith Howard to plead insanity."

"W-what? Why?" Johnson asked, obviously perplexed.

"Just do it. I will contact you soon."

Johnson stared at the phone in his hands. The leader always hung up first.

_Soon_, their leader had said. Johnson knew it was only a matter of time before the second phase of their plan was put into motion.

Soon.

* * *

A/N: Creepy villain alert! I had a tough battle deciding who should play the Scarecrow, but I finally decided to go with our favorite crazed psycho, Yami Bakura. Yeah, he's more than a bit twisted in this, isn't he?

And now all of the Big 5 have been shown as well, now that Crump and Johnson are in the picture. And the voice on the phone? Couldn't you tell?

It'll just be a surprise for now, if you haven't guessed already.

As always, please review!

--Kako


	8. Chapter 8

From Shadows to Shadows

Disclaimer: I do not own YGO or Batman Begins.

A/N: Wow, I have almost 1000 hits on this story! Thank you to everyone for reading and reviewing, you all make my day!

Also, I have decided to write a sequel to this once it is finished (in keeping with the newest Batman movie, which looks _amazing_) featuring the incredible Duke Devlin as the Joker. It will be a _much_ toned-down Joker though, Duke is no sociopath. But he will be bent on revenge against our hero Seto, for reasons that shall be announced in due time…

And because I don't think many people will have gotten it, especially if you hadn't seen the movie, the man on the phone was Shaadi. Remember him? Yes? The one who we all thought was left on a mountain somewhere? Well, that little phone conversation let us know that he is back in action, and proceeding with his plan of downing Domino.

There is also a new Silentshipping story out now that is co-written with Sakura Takanouchi (and on her profile). It is a parody, and extremely funny if I do say so myself. Please check it out if you're interested!

Sorry for the long A/N, but there was some important information hidden in there. Somewhere. xD

* * *

Chapter Eight

Seto breezed through the doors of his department, no longer finding the plain walls or bare furnishings cold and distant. He truly enjoyed the time he spent in this room working on various gaming equipment and hologram technologies—even though he knew the machines would never be picked up by the company until he was in charge again. The company bore _his_ name after all, and it was time that a Kaiba was once again making its decisions.

He looked over to his left, stifling a smirk—Ryou wasn't even _working_ on any of the dueling equipment; instead, he had a small chemicals lab set up on his desk, and was dripping a dark blue solution into a test tube held over a Bunsen burner.

"Is that safe to be doing in here?" Seto asked, wrinkling his nose at the acrid smell coming from the test tube. He noted the neglected eyewear lying on the desk. "At least wear your safety goggles."

Ryou slipped them on, still keeping his eyes firmly on the beaker in front of him. Once finished, he immediately swung the tube off of the flame, tipping it forward and letting the solution flow into another, larger beaker, this one with a clear oil-like appearance.

"What are you making?" Seto asked. He knew Ryou had been involved with the chemical weaponry side of KaibaCorp, but didn't know what exactly he was doing at that moment.

"Plastic explosives," Ryou answered nonchalantly.

Seto turned abruptly, standing stock-still and gaping at Ryou with a shocked expression on his face. "_What?!_"

Ryou laughed at Seto's surprised expression, before hurriedly raising his arms in sincerity. "I'm sorry, I'm only kidding."

Seto tried to fix his coworker with a scathing glare. _A heart attack would've been less surprising after that_.

"Then what _is_ it?" He asked.

"Simple," Ryou answered, which Seto took as a sign to mean that whatever he was concocting was anything but simple. "It's a mix of various solvents and other chemicals that creates a unique signal that can be read from its corresponding satellite or computer and transmit the location. It's also waterproof."

At Seto's aggravated expression, Ryou sighed. "Liquid tracking device."

Seto's eyebrows rose. He was impressed. "Why are you making that? I know our work isn't getting us anywhere, but it's what we're being paid to do."

Ryou rolled his eyes. "We're being wasted down here, Seto. This was a project I was working on before you came down here, and now I figure I can trust you to keep it secret. You're welcome to do the same too, you know."

The corners of Seto's mouth quirked upwards. "Well, I was thinking of something…" he trailed off.

Ryou looked up. "What is it?"

"The suit I saw in the holding cells. I thought I might borrow it for a while," Seto asked casually.

"I don't see why not. What for?" Ryou asked.

"Spelunking." Seto said the first thing that popped into his head.

"…_cave_ diving?" Ryou asked after a slight pause.

"Yes," Seto nodded.

Ryou shrugged, turning back to his chemicals. "Sure."

Seto turned and walked towards the doors leading to the holding chambers, for the first time letting a satisfied grin cross his face.

He stood in front of the bodysuit, pulling it off its display and finding a black garment bag in a cabinet underneath the display case. Slipping it inside, he remembered a few more gadgets, and swiftly removed them from their drawers as well, letting them slide to the bottom of the garment bag.

_These will work out nicely…_

* * *

Serenity gasped as she held one hand to her side, staggering up the sidewalk as the courthouse finally came into view. Swinging the strap of her purse back over her shoulder, she cursed the slippery straps and her equally uncomfortable heels.

Her car had broken down the prior evening, and Serenity had been forced into the chaotic world of public transportation. She grimaced as another elevated-rail train sped above her head, loudly following the path to the central station in the exact middle of town, right next to the KaibaCorporation Tower building.

_Why does Domino have to have so many hills?_

Serenity gritted her teeth. She was late, and seemed to be making a habit of it.

She kept walking down the cracked sidewalk, almost at the courthouse. She didn't like not having her car, it really wasn't safe around most parts of Domino anymore for pedestrians, but she would do her best.

Walking into the front doors of the courthouse, Serenity put on her best 'time to work' face. Serenity checked her watch. Her case had started…

And there was Tristan's livid face looming ahead of her.

"_What_ do you _think_ you are _doing_?" He asked, one temple twitching slightly. Serenity tried not to look guilty.

"Tristan, my car broke down, you know it's almost fifteen years old! Yeah, I had to take the train. The case? You have my notes, wasn't that enough?" Serenity fidgeted in her place.

From the unwavering look on Tristan's face, she knew it hadn't been.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

Tristan sighed, slumping against the column. "See for yourself. We're currently on break for the next ten minutes, I came up here to wait for you. There's been a change in Keith Howard's plea, _suddenly_ he's insane." Tristan's sarcastic tone showed that he didn't believe a word of it.

Serenity wrinkled her nose. "He's pleading insanity? To a drug-busting case? This doesn't even make sense."

Tristan sighed. "Yes, well, that's Domino for you. The director of Arkham Asylum is here too, he's trying to get Howard transferred there instead of in the psych ward at the penitentiary."

Serenity shrugged. "It really doesn't matter where he goes. We'll still have his case files, and we can make routine visits to check up on his treatment."

A gavel sounded from far away, and Serenity and Tristan returned to the courtroom, where the jury was filing back in and the rest of the prosecutors and audience were taking their seats. Keith Howard was sitting in the witness' chair, looking for all the world like a person whose mental processes were still completely intact. Serenity pursed her lips. She wasn't buying this either.

Howard shifted his head, scratching at his scalp. His blond hair looked unkempt and greasy, and his face was unshaven.

While Evan Nesbitt was not the judge for this particular case, none of the judges in the Domino district seemed to be all that bent on their profession. To them, Domino was a lost cause, and criminals like Keith Howard were shifted aside to whatever prison had an opening, and in this case it was even easier to shift them off into a nondescript mental hospital, and promptly forget about them. Such was the way of Domino.

Serenity looked on with mild interest as the director of Arkham Asylum, Bakura Enjin, began questioning Howard, asking him about his habits and what he thought about certain moral situations, including questions about drugs. He answered that he had used them frequently in the past, and Bakura latched on to this, proclaiming that the drugs had altered his mind and was making him dangerous to normal society.

Serenity's teeth clenched. _Here in Domino, he _is _normal society_.

And with another fall of the gavel, Keith Howard was declared mentally insane, and would be spending the amount of time no greater than five years cloistered in Arkham Asylum, under "intense surveillance and solitary confinement."

Serenity sighed, standing and straightening her tan suit. She left her seat, marching across the room to where Bakura Enjin was heading towards the exit. Tristan had tried to hold her back, but Serenity would lose no more footing on her cases. It was time to get even.

"Mr. Enjin?" Serenity asked, stepping next to the white-haired man.

"Please, call me Bakura." He flashed her a smile, then continued on, tucking his briefcase under one arm. He motioned to a guard on the floor, who had Keith Howard in handcuffs. "We'll head over now," he told them.

"Mr. Bakura, I'm Serenity Wheeler, a Domino assistant district attorney. I'm on Howard's case, and I wanted to let you know that I will still be involved even after this internment, and I will be expecting to see full treatment plans and files of his results."

"I see." Bakura's smile had faded, and his pleasant demeanor now seemed just short of forced.

"I will also be expecting a tour of the facility—I want to make sure Howard is well taken care of," Serenity continued as the two entered the hallway.

"Aw, sweetheart, ya _do_ care!" Keith Howard drawled sarcastically as the guard pulled him along behind the two.

Serenity ignored him. "My schedule is very flexible, Bakura, so give me any time that works for you." She handed him her card.

"How about two days from now, next Friday evening? Come at seven," Bakura told her, and Serenity nodded in assent.

"That works for me—"

"Then excuse me, dear, but I have _work _to do," Bakura cut her off, pushing past her as he walked towards the double doors to the courthouse entrance, the guard and a swaggering Keith Howard close behind him.

Tristan came up behind her, putting one hand lightly on Serenity's shoulders.

"Wow, that takes bravery," he joked. "Mental institutions are scary places."

Serenity wanted to laugh along with him, but only for the stark truthfulness of his words. _So now it takes bravery to do your job? I wonder what will happen next…_

"Hey, Serenity, I almost forgot!" Tristan said, true pride in his voice. "You know there was another opening for a head DA, right? Marik Ishtar's been promoted, the entire staff is meeting tonight at Callahan's, in the Carlson Hotel downtown. You should come!"

Serenity gave a thin smile, but tried not to put a damper on Tristan's happiness for his colleague. "Tristan, I..."

"Come on, free food! The department for happy workers or _something_ like that is paying, can it get any better?"

Serenity burst out laughing; Tristan could always get her to laugh even when she felt horrible. "Formal wear?" She asked with a cringe.

Tristan beamed. "Of course! Come on, I'll give you a ride home. The EL-trains aren't that safe anymore."

The two left the building, and headed for Tristan's car, a familiar but slightly worn dark gray sedan. Serenity sighed, wondering if she had anything suitable for such a fancy dinner, and whether or not it was even worth it for her to go.

* * *

"Mokuba?" Seto asked, closing the door to his mansion behind him as he walked inside, the lean suit carrier in one hand enclosing the black "spelunking" suit.

Mokuba skidded into the foyer, another black suit carrier in one hand. "Great, you already have one!" He chirped happily.

Seto glanced between the two bags. "I doubt you have one of these," he told his brother, unzipping it and taking out the black bodysuit.

Mokuba whistled, admiring the material. "Well, you're right," he admitted, unzipping his own bag and revealing a crisp cut black suit.

Seto gave his brother an inquisitive look. "What do you need a suit for?"

"It's not for me!" Mokuba said gleefully, a huge grin on his face.

Seto felt the inside of his stomach drop. "Ok, then why do _I _need a suit?"

"You've got twenty-seven minutes to find out!"

* * *

Seto groaned internally as the sleek Red Porsche pulled up to the swankiest hotel in Domino. Mokuba had set up everything, from the dinner reservations to even his dates, a pair of supermodels who were in Domino for the week.

Seto tossed the keys to the valet, moving around to offer his arms to the two women. Both were blonds, and almost taller than he was. He was sure Mokuba had told him both their names at least twice before leaving, but for the life of him he couldn't remember one.

"Thank you for choosing the Carlson Hotel, Mr. Kaiba," the maître d' told him as he guided the trio to their seats. Seto was sharing a table with several prominent businessmen and others of 'celebrity' status in the city, and quickly ordered a scotch on the rocks. He already had a headache.

_Is it Jillian, or Jennifer, or something…what the hell does it even matter?_

Seto ordered a filet for himself as soon as the waiter came to take their order, not even caring what his nameless dates ordered. He could front the bill for the entire building if he had to.

He took a sip of the scotch in front of him, loving the way the alcohol burned his tongue before it went down.

He appeared to enjoy the trivial conversation amongst the other socialites at his table, laughing when they did, and making comments here and there when the subject rolled around to the recent state of Domino's fiscal future.

Before he knew it, the steak was placed in front of him. He turned, checking briefly what his dates had ordered, when he was surprised to see neither of them in their seats. He turned, his eyebrows lifting slightly as he saw one sitting in the huge fountain centerpiece, the other removing her shoes before sliding into the water.

"Sir, the pool is for decoration only, and your friends do not have swimwear," the maître d' told him, standing next to Seto's chair.

"Well, they're European," Seto told him, shrugging.

"I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Seto remembered Mokuba's words, and decided to take them literally. Have a little fun.

He whipped his checkbook and a pen out of his inside pocket, scrawling an amount on the check and signing his name. "I'm buying this hotel," he told him, folding the check and setting it neatly into the maître d's pocket. "And setting some new rules about the _pool area_."

Seto glanced around the table at the stunned faces of his dining partners. They all looked extremely impressed at Seto's liberality with his money. And buying this hotel didn't even make a dent in his personal finances. "Excuse me," he told them all, brushing past the maître d'.

He walked over to the giant fountain, grinned at the two women, and let them pull him in, dunking his head beneath the water. It was ice cold, but after seeing the expressions on the faces of everyone around him, _who cares?_

* * *

Serenity walked down the street nervously, tugging on her dark brown dress with her hands. She had worn it once to another fancy dinner some time ago, and it had hung in her closet ever since.

She shivered, and tucked her wrap closer around her shoulders. The dress was halter-style, and the night air felt cold on her exposed shoulders and back. Her hair was up, curled and arranged in some sort of updo she hoped looked halfway presentable. She was a new assistant DA, but she had hoped that she would be promoted soon herself. This night would give her a chance to talk with all of her superiors.

She approached the doors of the opulent hotel, and smiled graciously at the valets that opened the doors for her. She mustered her confidence and walked inside, only to have it snap inside her when she met the eyes of Seto Kaiba, drenched and wearing a Carlson Hotel Robe, grinning at the two supermodels by his side, also in the white fluffy robes.

"Seto?" She asked, her voice registering complete astonishment.

Seto looked up in surprise, and almost lost his detached air upon seeing her face. Her eyes narrowed at him, and he knew she had just lost all faith in him. Seto wondered why it felt the way it did.

"Serenity," he acknowledged, the two models leaving his arms to enter the Porsche, which had been brought up immediately after they left the restaurant.

"I…I thought you were different," Serenity told him distastefully, brushing past him and continuing on into the hotel. "I was wrong." The words were so soft, but Seto was still able to hear them.

"Come on Mr. Kaiba!" One called, her heavy Swedish accent cutting through her words. "There are more hotels for you to buy!"

Seto gritted his teeth before giving them both a lazy grin, sliding into the car and slamming the door beside him. He drove away a little bit faster than he probably intended, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the shifter and the wheel tightly in his hands.

* * *

Evan Nesbitt walked down the street, a black umbrella open above his head as a light rain coated the streets and buildings of downtown Domino. It was late, and he was finally heading to his apartment after meeting with a few _colleagues_ about some upcoming cases. It seemed a few more _employees_ had gotten themselves caught in more of that chemical transporting business, and Nesbitt had been given strict orders to bury the evidence, and if it was too potent to bury, shift them into Arkham Asylum.

He shivered. He had heard strange things about that Asylum. Full of crazies and serial murderers, and apparently run by the biggest wacko of them all. He was glad Crump was the one dealing with him now, he'd fit in just fine.

Nesbitt saw a hot dog stand out of the corner of his eye, and walked up to it, grabbing a hotdog from the top of the counter and walking away with it, shoving the cheap sandwich into his mouth even as the vendor shouted at him to return and pay.

He chewed, nearly finishing the hot dog in a matter of seconds. He turned the corner into a darkened street, the cast of his umbrella hiding the movement in the shadows behind him.

With a flash and a barely perceptible scream, Evan Nesbitt was hoisted up by one ankle into the air, rising more than fifty feet to an overhang of the radio building, where a grappling hook connected to the wires around Nesbitt's leg was in the hands of a man all dressed in black, a sinister sneer on his face.

At least, what Nesbitt could see of his face. He wore a black mask, fitting neatly over his eyes with points at the corners that rose up like ears. A gift from Mokuba, he had found it inside the jacket pocket of his suit. He was thankful he had removed it before leaving for that evening's dinner; he didn't think it was waterproof.

"Evan Nesbitt, are you ready for justice?" Seto snarled at the man, his face contorting into a sinister sneer as the judge dangled in the air.

"Who are you? Put me down immediately!" Nesbitt cried indignantly, although his voice wavered with fear.

"Down? If you insist," Seto said, releasing a button on the grappling hook, and watching with satisfaction as Nesbitt plummeted down nearly all fifty feet, screaming; Seto stopping the wire just inches before he would hit the ground and then hauling him back up, pressing another button to retract the cable.

Nesbitt was shaking, the rain pouring off of his face and clothes, his umbrella lying on the ground from when he had dropped it when his foot had been snagged.

"Wh—what do you want?" He stuttered.

"I want you to give me the other names of the leaders of the crime organization known as the Big Five," Seto asked coolly, shaking the wire a bit to further imprint the message.

"I…I don't know what you're talking about. I swear!"

_He lies_. "Swear to me!" Seto screamed, releasing the cable once more to have the judge fall the fifty feet to the ground, pulling him back up again moments before the collision.

Nesbitt's shoulders slumped, but his whole body was still wracked with tremors, from the cold rain and from the fear coursing through his body.

"A-l-l-lright. I'll tell you."

Minutes later Seto walked away with a satisfied smirk on his face, the names of the other four leaders safely locked away in his mind. _Adrian Crump, Christopher Johnson, and my personal favorites, Derek Lector and Howard Gansley._

The last two were no surprise to him, but he _was_ surprised at how quickly the judge relinquished his information. _Spineless coward_. It was people like him who were so quick to bring the city down, and then scurried out of the way as fast as possible to avoid the damage. They never seemed to go away.

_Like cockroaches…_

He grinned again, casting a thin smile to the sky above him. Seto had left Nesbitt tied to the radio tower, his arms strapped down to the sides of a giant searchlight, the light itself already flipped on.

The thin outline of a bat could clearly be seen against the sky, the corrupt judge's body forming the outline. Not exactly the best introduction he could come up with, but he improvised.

And when the police came, they'd find documentation on Nesbitt's illicit activities with the Big Five, as well as his own signatures bypassing security for the drug shipments coming into Domino.

_At least the police can't ignore this_, he thought with satisfaction.

_One down, four to go_.

* * *

A/N: For the purposes of this story, I gave Bakura the last name 'Enjin' because it means 'Ring' in Japanese. While the Millenium Items will not appear in this story, it's still nice to allude to them, right?

I also know next to nothing about legal proceedings, so most of what I write involving court scenes is completely made up. I hope it seemed realistic!

Again, reviewing would be awesome!

--Kako


	9. Chapter 9

From Shadows to Shadows

A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who's reviewed so far! I do promise there'll be more SxS action from now on, as there's barely been anything so far.

A special speedy update to coincide with the introduction of the newest Batman movie, as well as my birthday, which happens this Sunday.

And now on with the story!

* * *

Chapter Nine

_MICROWAVE EMITTER STOLEN FROM KAIBACORP CARGO SHIP_

_By Sakura Takanouchi, staff writer_

_Reports just in—KaibaCorp executives have been trying to cover up the recent theft of an expensive microwave emitter that was stolen from a cargo ship in the East Sea. This microwave emitter, a one-of-a-kind KC invention, was created to vaporize an enemy's water supply for use in desert warfare. Police say that there is no lead on the identity of the thieves, but sources on the ship say that the perpetrators were dressed all in black and used swords as weapons to take out those guarding the emitter. Domino police are working to ensure the safe recovery of this stolen weapon, and we only wonder what use any person would have for such a specialized invention. _

Seto set the paper down, wincing slightly at a bruise forming on the back of his arm, fairly close to his elbow. Mokuba was with him, drinking steadily from a cup of coffee on the other side of the table.

"Rough night?" Mokuba asked, causing Seto to smirk faintly as he folded the paper over, scanning the next side. He winced again.

Not that he'd ever tell Mokuba, but the retracting mechanism on the grappling gun needed a few slight modifications. The thing discharged practically right back into his arm, and it took more than the strength Seto had to pull up an overweight judge the distance that he had.

_No more donuts for me_, he thought idly, watching Mokuba scarf down the sugary ones on the tray on their coffee table. He skimmed a few more articles, completely throwing the 'society' section away—he didn't need to read it to know he had made the front page. Hopefully the photo wasn't too bad, he supposed it had probably been one as he was leaving the hotel.

_Leaving the hotel…_

His breath stuck in his throat as he remembered the swiftly resurfacing memory of the night before, and the subtly beautiful girl he had spoken to, for however brief a moment it was.

And now she must have thought he'd _betrayed_ her.

He glared at Mokuba; the whole thing had been _his_ idea, after all.

_Well look in your paper, Serenity dear_, he thought sardonically as he turned yet another page, flipping it over to cover up the leading article's headline, '_City Judge's Corruption Exposed_.'

It still hurt, that place between his throat and his chest. Seto cleared his throat awkwardly, earning a strange glance from Mokuba. It didn't help; if anything, the ache had moved lower, into the ribcage of his chest and down into stomach. Maybe he was hungry.

Seto reached for the plainest donut he could find, raising it in front of his face and studying the slightly glazed circular appearance. Mokuba loved western confections, and somehow Seto had been subjected to them as well.

He bit into the donut, wincing at the sharply bitter taste that flooded his mouth.

Of course, it had to be filled with jelly.

He coughed again, swallowing heavily and setting the donut down.

_How does Mokuba stand those things, they're disgusting_, he thought.

"Hey, Seto, don't you have to get to work soon?" Mokuba asked casually, pointing to a wall clock whose hands were just about at nine o'clock.

_...Damn, he's right_, Seto thought, dropping the paper on the table as he walked towards the front door, draining his cup of coffee and setting it down on a foyer table.

Still eating his breakfast, Mokuba leaned over the table, reading the article on the face-up page…

_Judge Evan Nesbitt was strapped to a searchlight, projecting an image almost of a bird or a bat onto the night sky. When questioned about who had done this, Nesbitt replied that a "masked man dressed all in black" had attacked him on the street. Nesbitt's court hearing is this coming Wednesday, where he will be tried for crimes of evading the law and abusing the impartiality of his office. As for the identity of this crime-fighter, we at Domino Daily will be keeping a close watch on the skies for any more signs of this masked vigilante._

Mokuba smiled into his coffee cup. _Batman's on the move…_

* * *

Seto arrived at the front doors of his department a full half-hour later than intended, grumbling internally about the horrific downtown traffic and continual maintenance problems on different parts of the city, diverting most cars right around KaibaCorp's tower.

Inside, Ryou was clicking away idly on his computer, zooming little cards around the screen on what could only be computerized solitaire. Upon seeing Seto, he gave a little wave before clicking the 'x' in the top right corner of the screen.

"Sorry I'm late," Seto said gruffly, settling himself down in his usual computer chair.

"Oh, don't be," Ryou acknowledged. "I was thinking of taking the day off myself to do something a little more interesting."

Seto's eyebrows rose faintly; never once had he considered that Ryou would be the type to break the rules. "Like what?"

Ryou grinned, folding the laptop screen down. "Want to test out more of the gadgets in the holding chambers? There's plenty more I haven't shown you yet."

"Lead on."

* * *

"Just what exactly _is_ this thing?" Seto asked, his voice several times louder than usual to be heard across the roar of the engine.

"Bridge jumping vehicle," Ryou answered, swerving the giant tank-like car once more around the empty cell the vehicle was occupying. "Watch this."

With a deft flick of his wrist he turned the wheel sharply, pressing a button on the side of the steering wheel. Almost with no warning at all, the car sprang into the air, traveling at least twenty feet before landing on the other side of the room, wheels spinning on the concrete floor on contact.

Ryou righted the wheels, and continued driving in a leisurely pace around the room. He stopped at the far end, putting the vehicle in park and pressing a latch to open the door.

"So, why didn't _this_ one get past the prototype stage?" Seto asked, still seated comfortably in the black leather of the passenger seat.

"I don't think they tried to market it to the billionaire spelunking crowd," Ryou retorted, pressing another button to turn off the ignition.

Seto opened his mouth to respond, then closed it. Ryou already knew what he wanted to ask.

"I suppose you want to borrow this one as well?" He asked wearily.

"Look, if you're uncomfortable…" Seto trailed off. He couldn't tell Ryou what he was really doing with all of these things, but it wasn't fair to his employee to keep him completely ignorant.

"Mr. Kaiba, if you tell me exactly what you're doing, I won't have to lie if I'm asked. But I'm not an idiot," Ryou told him matter-of-factly.

"No," He agreed.

"Can you drive stick?" Ryou asked, holding out the keys.

* * *

Seto and Ryou had agreed on an 'extended' lunch break, and Seto had his driver drop him off at a local coffee shop and café just a block or two away. It took work to keep the slim grin off his face at the discovery of the perfect mode of transport. This would make things _much_ easier…

Seto frowned in annoyance; someone at the head of the line was taking forever ordering their food. Seto had the time to spare, but his patience had never been stellar. All he wanted was a sandwich and a coffee, why was that so difficult?

It was a girl, and she still had not moved from in front of the cash register. "Excuse me," Seto said stiffly, watching in shock as the girl turned, displaying an all-too-familiar face, and an all-too-familiar angry frown.

"Seto Kaiba," she acknowledged, moving slightly to give him just enough room in front of the cashier.

"Serenity," he nodded, turning back to the cashier, a tall raven-haired girl, and gave his order.

"Did you read your paper this morning?" He asked out of the corner of his mouth. Serenity's eyes narrowed. "You mean about your _spectacle_ at the Carlson?"

No sooner had the words, "I'm thinking about renaming it the Kaiba," had come out of his mouth than he regretted them instantly after seeing the look of disgust on Serenity's face.

"I'm _joking_," he reassured her, taking his receipt from the cashier and moving over, only to bump into Serenity. She still looked skeptical.

"Page C2," he whispered into her ear. "Your judge was taken into custody last night, and all his crimes have been revealed."

The surprised look on Serenity's face told him that she had not known. "Come on," he told her, grabbing her arm lightly as he led them to a small table against the wall that afforded them a view of the entire café.

"What?" She asked, her face white. "How did this happen?" A look of dawning realization crossed her features.

"_You_ did something!"

"I did not," Seto said, affronted. A waiter set down the baskets of sandwiches in front of them, and Seto picked up a potato chip delicately.

Serenity was still fuming.

"So, tell me about your…work," Seto said, in an effort both to change the subject and placate the still angry Serenity. "Life as an assistant DA all you hoped it would be?"

"I suppose," Serenity began, her voice laced with sarcasm as she took a huge bite of her sandwich, chewing and then swallowing before she continued.

"All my cases seem to be going _completely_ wrong, offenders seem to be coming down with _completely_ unfounded mental illnesses, and my _office_ was broken into recently, and—"

Seto cut her off, meeting her eyes intensely. "Someone broke into your office recently?"

"Yeah," Serenity huffed. "The entire thing was turned upside-down, but I don't think anything was stolen. It was the night after we met for dinner, come to think of it."

Serenity noted the strange expression on Seto's face—it was like a cross between concerned, enraged, and bizarrely calm.

"Take me there," he told her, already moving to stand up from the table.

"Wha—now?" Serenity asked, remaining firmly planted in her seat. "Look, it's not _going_ anywhere, and I'm hungry. You really want to look at it, I'll take you there after I'm done."

Seto figured that was as good as he could hope for, short of dragging the woman there himself. And he surely wouldn't win any points for redemption in her eyes doing _that_.

_Wait a second…since when did _I _care about what she thought of me?_

_And why am I going to such lengths to protect her?_

_She helped me in my cause_, he decided. _Without her information, I wouldn't be as far as I am_.

Less than twenty minutes later, and Serenity was letting Seto into the room where her office had been. A cleaning crew had been scheduled for the weekend, and the room was still practically in the same condition it had been when it was first broken in to. Some obvious things had been removed, like Serenity and Tristan's diplomas and paintings hanging on the walls, or other personal items they just didn't want to see thrown out.

Seto's eyes narrowed when he saw the room, immediately brushing past Serenity and walking past her desk, looking back when Serenity refused to move past the door.

"Come on in," he told her, extending a hand to her. She still hung on to the doorknob, her worried eyes scanning the slashed walls and broken furniture. She placed her left hand in Seto's, and let him pull her into the center of the room.

"So nothing was missing?" He asked, guiding her over to the window where there was more light. The electrical cables had been cut, and no power or electricity could reach the room. Serenity shook her head.

Seto instantly froze, his muscles freezing up as a peculiar but still intensely familiar fragrance wafted through his nose. He turned, spying the lone blue flower resting on a bookcase in the corner, its petals sagging from the lack of sunlight and the book that was nearly crushing it.

"Seto?" Serenity asked in confusion as he strode to the bookcase, grabbing the flower and putting it securely in his pocket.

"Look, Serenity, we can't talk here. Are you done for the day?"

Serenity gave him a strange look; she wanted some explanations for his unusual behavior. "Technically I didn't even need to come in today," she shrugged.

"Good, I'll have my driver take you home," he said, already pulling her out of the room.

Serenity didn't want to blow up at him—she _was_ thankful for the ride, one more broken EL-train and she was going to lose it—but she preferred answers to a limousine ride.

She knew if he had asked her not to talk in the court building, then he must've had a good reason to. Once inside the limousine, she allowed her frustration to seep back out.

"Just what _IS_ that thing?" She asked, gesturing to the flower.

"That's what I'm going to find out," Seto said, leaning back against the headrest. It was strange; ever since his return he had always found his limousine to be slightly claustrophobic and dark, but today he felt perfectly at ease.

The limo stopped a few blocks later, and Seto opened the door, stepping out onto the street in front of his building.

"Where are you going?" Serenity asked, still confused.

Seto smiled, genuinely. "I'm going to work."

* * *

Seto breezed through the entry doors to his department, a sense of urgency in his usually fluid motions. Ryou was still sitting in his chair typing away—it had barely been an hour into their 'mid-gadget' break.

"What are you doing back so soon?" The white-haired Briton asked, brushing his bangs out of his face as he leaned back in his chair.

"Do you still have your chemical equipment with you?" Seto asked.

Ryou was puzzled. "Yes," he answered.

"Then analyze this." Seto pulled out the flower, holding the almost withering stem between two fingers as he set it down on the computer table. Ryou peered at it, shooting the weedy-looking thing a peculiar glance when he smelled its unique scent.

"What even _is_ it?"

"I honestly have no idea," Seto responded, turning his own computer on as Ryou let out an exasperated sigh, picking up the flower and heading towards the back of the room, where a small chemicals set, including a microscope and monitor, were hidden beside a tall stack of files and several cabinets.

Seto amused himself with some minor programming and even played a few rounds of solitaire while Ryou was analyzing the flower, running its cell makeup through internet databases to discover just what it was, and why it had the effect it did on people.

Seto winced slightly as he typed; now, in addition to a bruise, he also had a small cut on his arm from where Ryou had taken a blood sample—just to see what the white blood cells would do when they came in contact with the syrupy compound Ryou had extracted from the blue flower's stigma.

Ryou finally emerged from behind the mountainous stack of files around a half-hour later, several hasty lines scribbled onto a pad of notepaper.

"I've got it," he called triumphantly, sinking down somewhat tiredly into his chair.

"It's _Datura stramonium_," Ryou exclaimed, shooting Seto an odd look as he struggled to read the sideways scribbles on the paper.

Seto ignored him, he had no _idea_ what its scientific name meant.

Ryou was looking at him expectantly.

"What?" Seto asked, angling the pad so he could see better.

"It's a rare _narcotic_, Seto. Often used in _weaponized _form. Better yet, I found traces of it still in _your_ bloodstream! What are you _doing_ with it?"

Seto couldn't see an easy way out of this one. "Well, you know, you're out at night, looking for kicks, and someone's passing around the weaponized hallucinogen…" he trailed off at the disbelieving expression on Ryou's face.

"I've never seen anything like it before," Ryou continued, changing the subject from Seto's inept attempt at humor. "It's so rare, it only grows on certain mountains that get the right balance of precipitation…it actually blooms right after a frost, it's the strangest thing." He turned his head, staring in awe at the little blue flower that rested on the top of a stack of papers.

"Is there any way to counteract the toxin?" Seto asked.

Ryou fixed his critical gaze back on Seto. "Are you planning on dosing yourself with it again?"

Seto could not exactly say 'yes,' for it was not just himself he was worried for. This flower came from the League of Shadows, and the insense made from it was a sort of mind-bending hallucinogen, and there was no telling how they might use it next. They had already made their intentions clear towards Serenity: get quiet, or we'll permanently silence you.

"Alright, I'll get to work on an antidote, _solely for the joys of science_," Ryou quipped, turning back and picking up the flower along with a few microscope slides.

"Where are you going?" Seto asked.

"The labs on the third floor are better," Ryou replied. "And a technician there owes me a favor. I'm pretty sure my security clearance still hasn't been revoked," he mused, opening the door with an elbow. "See you in a bit!" He called as the heavy door slammed shut behind him, leaving Seto alone in the room.

_Well_, he thought as he fished his newly-acquired vehicle's keys out of one pocket. _I can always give this thing a test-drive_.

* * *

Keith Howard sat on a bench in his cell, his arms woven through the narrow bars as he leaned on one elbow. He had barely been there a day, and was already bored out of his mind. He couldn't understand how _real_ crazy people put up with it.

He looked up when he heard footsteps in the hallway, and saw his white-haired warden heading down the hall towards his cell.

Most of the patients in Keith's wing of the asylum were constantly heavily sedated, so conversation had been hard to come by.

"So, how are you doing today, Mr. Howard?" Bakura asked in his clinically detached voice, the double meaning of the words lost on Keith.

"Yeah, Dr. Enjin, I can't take it any more," Keith drawled sarcastically. "The walls are closing in. Blah, blah, blah. Couple more days of this food an' it'll be true."

Bakura laughed coldly, shifting the briefcase in his hands so he could press a combination of buttons on the door's control panel, unlocking it and sliding it open before locking it back into place.

"It's routine for me to do examinations on all my patients. Keeps the filing consistent," Bakura said evenly, noticing that Keith had become slightly anxious upon seeing the briefcase.

"You do know I'm not crazy, right?" Keith said. "It was just to get out of jail, that's all."

Bakura hid his satisfied smile at the wavering in Keith's voice. "Of course. I understand."

"Would you like to see my mask? I use it in my experiments," Bakura said, opening the two latches on the briefcase deftly. He removed a dirty and matted scrap of cloth that looked similar to rough burlap, with darkened holes for the eyes and stiches holding parts near the cheeks and mouth together.

"Now, I'm probably not very frightening to a guy like you, but these crazies... they can't stand it." Bakura continued, tugging on the elastic strap that bound the mask to his face.

Keith looked away, uneasy. He had seen the flash of excitement in Bakura's eyes when he mentioned the "crazies," and knew that this was no routine examination.

"So when did the nut take over the nuthouse?" Keith drawled. With his eyes focused on the mask, he didn't see Bakura remove a small atomizer from his briefcase.

Suddenly Bakura lunged over Keith, the mask firmly set on his face as he pressed the trigger on the atomizer, sending the concentrated incense right over Keith's face.

Keith began to scream the second the narcotic found its way into his system, his hands clawing at his own face at the garishly gruesome image his mind supplied from the hallucinogen. He shuddered against the wall, wanting to back away from the horrifying man in the mask but at the same time paralyzed by fear.

"They scream and they cry," Bakura growled; to Keith, the voice echoed across the room, the gravelly undertones matching the swarm of worms and teeth and claws he saw skittering across the mask, the brown burlap turning to undead flesh as the loose stitches turned to rotting bone.

Keith kept screaming, his fingers shaking as they gripped the bench beneath him, then releasing it, his nails digging into his palms as cold tears leaked from the corners of his eyes.

Bakura was immensely satisfied at Keith's reversal; the fear toxin Crump had delivered to him was working wonders in atomized form. He couldn't wait to use it on the whole city. And nothing would stop him.

"W-Who a-are you?" Keith whispered, his voice barely audible.

Bakura responded with a sinister grin. Apparently, Keith Howard's mind was stronger than he thought. Time to change that.

"The _Scarecrow!_"

* * *

"Finished!" Ryou called triumphantly as he staggered back into the room, a case with what looked like four injection needles stacked inside, filled with a small amount of a clear liquid.

There weren't any windows in the entertainment department, as it was sunken below ground level, and the windows in the chemicals lab were covered with special 'black-out' automated rolling covers, as many of the experiments could only be successful with the absence of light.

As a result, Ryou had no way of knowing that it was by now approaching nine o'clock that night, and he had been working literally all day on the antidote.

"Seto?" He called, looking around the room. His eyes met the small digital clock resting on his desk.

"Aw, man," he complained, locking the antidotes in his desk drawer before trudging out of the office. The things he did for work.

* * *

A/N: This chapter takes several lines of dialogue straight from the movie, especially Ryou's, Keith's, and Bakura's lines. They're just so perfect for the situations that it's hard to ignore them, you know?

Also, Datura stramonium is the scientific name of a real hallucinogenic plant, but not the one featured in the movie. I have no idea if that one was taken from a real source, or just made up.

Reviews are the best birthday presents!

Love, Kako


	10. Chapter 10

From Shadows to Shadows

A/N: Let me take the time to thank all the people who kindly reviewed on Chapter Nine: Sakura Takanouchi, UnlessAbsolutelyNecessary, AngelofDarkness231, Yami No Game, NightRaven13, ShadowPixie128, and Troubled Spirit of Hell. Thank you all so very much!

I love all of your comments, especially on the minor characters. Ryou has to be one of my favorites too, he's so funny without meaning to be.

I hope you all like this chapter! It has to be one of my favorites, it has my favorite part in the movie. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Ten

As soon as he arrived at work, Seto Kaiba was ambushed by an overly excited Ryou Bakura, holding up a bag filled with what Seto assumed were the finished antidotes.

"I finished it!" Ryou exclaimed elatedly. Apparently, one night hadn't diminished his excitement at cracking the toxin in the slightest.

"I see," Seto said, trying to contain his own excitement. He took the bag from Ryou, pulling out one of the capped syringes and placing it on his desk, rolling up one sleeve with his now free hand.

"Any side effects I should be worried about?" Seto asked with a grin, uncapping the syringe.

Ryou frowned. "I shouldn't think so, you might experience some symptoms similar to the actual effect of the hallucinogen"—at this he stared disapprovingly at Seto—"but they should be brief enough—hey!"

Seto had interrupted Ryou by plunging the needle into his arm and pressing down on the syringe, grunting slightly as the antidote fled through his bloodstream.

Ryou _tsked_ critically, moving to his desk to retrieve a small packaged first aid kit from the bottom drawer. He opened the flimsy plastic cover, tossing Seto a bright blue band-aid. "Could have at least sterilized the skin first," he huffed, replacing the kit.

"Now, where's the fun in that?" Seto asked before grimacing slightly as his vision swam before his eyes. Seconds later it was gone, everything in his sight back to normal even as he acknowledged that the colors around him seemed to be brighter; he blinked, and that too was gone.

"You okay?" Ryou asked; Seto nodded in the affirmative.

"Yeah. I'm fine."

The response was curt, and Ryou shrugged, deciding not to press the issue. He noted wryly that he had barely noticed Seto nonchalantly dropping the bag of antidote-filled syringes inside his briefcase. If Seto didn't want to tell him the whole story, fine, but Ryou knew there was more to it than what was simply shown on the surface.

He knew Seto wasn't stupid—there was no way he'd be taking _weaponized hallucinogens_ for fun. More likely he was involved in some sort of cover operation, doing research for the Domino Police Department.

Ryou grimaced. _The corrupt Domino PD_. That wasn't a fate he'd wish on _anybody_.

With no more solutions brewing in his mind, Ryou was left with just countless questions.

_Well_, he thought with a smile as he returned to his desk, _if I can extract an antidote from a poisonous flower, then I can certainly discover Seto's secret. _

He cast a wary glance across the room before getting to work.

* * *

Yami Motou stood on the roof of the Domino Police tower that night, his hands clutching a warm mug of coffee as he leaned against the small brick wall of the stairwell. He often came up to the roof to think; it afforded a wonderful view of the city and the sky was usually unbelievably clear, the stars shining brightly through the inky black sky.

Yami narrowed his eyes slightly. Was it just his imagination, or did one of those stars seem to be moving?

He turned sharply to feel a gust of wind blow past him, much stronger than the usual breezes that reached the flat rooftop. He spun around, nearly dropping his coffee when he saw the striking figure of the newest bane in the Police Force's side, the vigilante who called himself _Batman_.

Yami could not help but be impressed; the Batman was obviously incredibly fast and strong, and it was clear that he had spared no expense with his custom-looking costume.

"Y-you're Batman," was all Yami was able to say, still shocked from the appearance of the vigilante.

He could hear the masked man chuckle softly before replying, "And you're Officer Yami Mutou, am I correct?"

His voice was low and gravelly, so different from what Yami was expecting that it once again threw him off guard.

"That's right," Yami answered. "What are you doing here?"

"The word is that you're one of the few police officers in Domino who still care enough about this city to do something," Batman began.

"Your superior, Lieutenant Christopher Johnson, is one of the leaders behind the criminal organization the Big Five," he continued, not giving Yami any time to speak. "Will you help me bring him to justice?"

Yami sucked in his breath sharply upon hearing the news. _Johnson!_ It was staring him right in the face the entire time. Slowly, Yami nodded. "I'll do anything I can."

While the rest of the police force, along with Johnson, believed the Batman to be a menace to a perfectly structured world, Yami believed that the caped crusader was actually doing some good to the decadent city. It needed to be taught a lesson that could only be delivered by an icon, and not just one man. One man could be hunted, brought down. But a nameless, faceless entity like Batman could always prevail.

"Where does Johnson spend most of his time outside the building? Where are his cases?"

Yami thought of a response. It was hardly a secret who was working on what within the department, but his own work was swallowing up any attention he would normally pay to his corrupt Lieutenant.

"Arkham Asylum," Yami responded.

Seto did some research on the city's one mental institution. Arkham was situated near the very lowest of the low-income neighborhoods in Domino. Just a few blocks away, the highest crime rate in the city had been reported. Even taxi drivers were well within their rights to refuse a trip there. He knew it was important, and he racked his brain for a connection between the mental facility and the mystery unfolding around him.

It was the next day before Seto remembered the words from that Wednesday's lunch meeting with Domino's own assistant D.A.

"_All my cases seem to be going completely wrong, offenders seem to be coming down with completely unfounded mental illnesses…"_

_Serenity!_

* * *

Serenity pursed her lips and tapped one foot impatiently. She had been waiting outside the front doors of Arkham Asylum for nearly ten minutes now. She had been told that Dr. Enjin would be down "momentarily" to let her in, but this was simply outrageous!

_One minute would've been a professional discourtesy, five minutes would've been rude, but TEN minutes is just downright infuriating!_ Serenity thought angrily.

She knew Bakura didn't like her, but his behavior only served to make her even more suspicious of what he was hiding.

Bakura was the director of Arkham Asylum, a position which seemed to place him ahead of all regulation security or ego-popping procedures. To Serenity, it also looked like his job interrogating and treating insane criminals had somehow caused their behavior to rub off on him.

The sky was slowly darkening—it had just been a soft rosy-violet color when she had arrived, but she knew from experience that it would be completely dark within a half-hour.

Serenity huffed and rolled her eyes; Bakura was lazily walking out the front door towards her, looking like he had all the time in the world. Once he reached the gate, it took him mere seconds to open it electronically, a feat which could probably have been done in two seconds by a receptionist, saving them both all this time.

Serenity caught the smug expression on Bakura's face; he was either hoping that some random street thug would have finished her off in front of the asylum, or one of his inmates would do the job for him.

Serenity straightened her suit jacket. She had news for him.

She didn't scare easy.

"Welcome, Ms. Wheeler," Bakura greeted coolly, not even bothering to offer a handshake. "Right on time, I see."

"Dr. Enjin, I—" Serenity started, her voice interrupted by the man on her right, escorting her quickly into the dilapidated facility.

"Bakura, please," he repeated. Serenity had no intention of being that familiar with the man, but it would ease any suspicion he may have placed on her.

"Bakura, then," she responded with an unnaturally cheery smile. "Lead the way to Keith Howard's cell." She carried a slim attaché case at her side, several plain folders visible from its open top.

"Certainly," Bakura said, leading Serenity to the first hallway off of the main lobby and pressing the 'up' button on the elevator. As the numbers slowly slid downward towards 'one,' Bakura turned back to face Serenity.

"Mr. Howards is a very unique patient, Serenity."

The use of her own first name agitated her, but she wasn't about to correct him or instigate his own anger.

The door opened, and the two slipped inside the old elevator. "We have him on the sixth floor," Bakura said as he pressed the corresponding button. "We try to keep the criminally _insane_ patients on higher floors." His tone was chatty, although the subject matter of the conversation was anything but.

"I have yet to see any behavior of Howard's that I would consider insane," Serenity objected.

Bakura chuckled. "Still the skeptic, I see. Don't worry, I'll provide you with all the evidence your pretty little head desires."

It took a lot of Serenity's willpower to remain professional and not clock him with her briefcase on the spot, but her practice with obstinate and inappropriate clients helped her stay calm.

"Oh? So Howard's treatment is going well?" Bakura tensed at the subject change, but Serenity had no desire to bring it back around to her.

"It has been one week," Bakura said through heavily concealed clenched teeth. "You can hardly expect immediate results."

Serenity paid extreme attention to the hallway as she walked beside Bakura towards Howard's cell. She noted that most of the sparse cells were full, with the security consisting of only electrically monitored bars on the doors and another set before the elevators. The patients on this floor all seemed to share one other common trait; as the two approached Serenity could hear the patients moaning and crying, shrinking away from the bars at the mere appearance of their director's face.

As director, it was likely that he had supreme authority over the patients' treatment schedules and questionings. With the lack of criminal psychologists wanting to work in such a run-down facility, it was even possible that he was the only doctor these patients would ever see.

Serenity frowned. That wasn't right.

Bakura had stopped, and at first Serenity wondered why, because the man in the cell in front of her looked nothing like Keith Howard. Sure, he was blond and tan, but his posture was hunched over and he wore an expression of abject terror that Serenity could hardly even picture on Howard's face.

She gasped inaudibly, her face chalk-white. If she didn't need any more reminding, a bland paper nameplate next to the door spelled out in small black-and-white type 'Howards, Keith.'

"_This_ is Keith Howard?"

Serenity was shocked, completely, at the sudden and strange transformation of Keith Howard. It wasn't just physically how he had changed—and Serenity noticed he had also lost quite a bit of weight—but when he finally did raise his head to lock his eyes with her own, she was struck by how _different_ he looked to her. They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, and Keith Howard's soul was now wholly empty. He looked like a stranger.

"I know, but he's a textbook case," Bakura said confidently. "He's sure to be making progress in his treatment."

Bakura's comments only served to rile Serenity more. She clenched her teeth, biting down the words that threatened to rise out of her.

"So, I suppose this is all you wanted to see?" His voice was intentionally mocking.

"No, I-I…wanted to inspect the facility further." Serenity held her head high, trying to buy herself enough time just to _think_ about what was really going on with Keith. It wasn't like Bakura was curing people of their mental breakdowns, in fact, he seemed to be overseeing the breaks themselves.

"_Miss_ Wheeler, this is unusual. You have seen the judge's report, I have nothing further to add. Your tour is over." Bakura's tone was icy cold, but Serenity stood her ground.

"Is it _common_, then," she spat, "to have a thirty-eight year old man with no _history_ of mental illness to suddenly have a complete psychotic breakdown?"

"This is hardly common, as you can see, Miss Wheeler. I think—" Bakura's words were interrupted once again by the redhead on a roll.

"Oh, and I'll also want to review his bloodwork," Serenity added, folding her briefcase under one arm.

Bakura tensed. "Right this way, then, Miss Wheeler. There's something _else_ I want you to see."

Serenity had a bad feeling about this whole place, cemented further by their return to the dingy old elevator. Once inside, Bakura pressed one button to close the battered doors, and one more to move the elevator to the first basement level. Serenity noticed Bakura fiddling with something near his cuffs. His posture still reflected his extreme arrogance and confidence, but he seemed to walk with a stiffness that she hadn't seen in him before. It was like he was itching to just jump out of his skin, like some hidden thing was holding him back from _something_.

Whatever the case, Serenity couldn't figure Bakura out, and she didn't really think she even wanted to.

Serenity thought of Howard. She was going to fight for her client. And then, she was going to unravel whatever secrets this place was hiding, starting with its enigmatic and bizarre director.

The door opened.

"Ah, here we are, Miss Wheeler."

Somehow, Serenity found that she liked him saying just her surname even less then when he referred to her just as 'Serenity.' Now, it seemed like he chewed the word over in his mouth, reflecting the same horrible taste by the time it reached her ears.

"Bakura, where are we going? I just need Howard's files, and then—" Bakura cut her off.

They had approached a strange set of heavy swinging doors, the grimy windows cutting off Serenity's vision of the room's contents.

"This is where we make the medicine," Bakura continued, the strange edge back in his voice. Serenity caught a glimpse of his face; his grin was oversized, stretching the corners of his mouth, his white teeth gleaming.

_Creepy bastard_, Serenity thought with aggravation. _Why do I care about their medicine_?

The door swung open, and Serenity gasped. The entire basement looked like it had been gutted, and whatever doctoral implements had been there before had been replaced with copper vats and industrial equipment, rickety staircases and catwalks connecting the corners and different levels of the room. She could see where one corner had even cut into the concrete foundation, and a water pipe had been severed. Uniformed men in dirtied white protective suits and helmets shoveled in a strange powdery substance, tainting Domino's water supply.

Serenity blanched, staggering backwards and grasping at the wall for support. She cast a horrified look at Bakura, before turning on her heel and running for the elevator.

"Maybe you should have some," Bakura cackled. "_Clear_ your _head_."

Serenity punched the button, beating at the door and wishing it to open. _Come on, come on, _she chanted in her mind, biting her lip as she glanced over her shoulder, banging even more loudly on the elevator door. She couldn't see Bakura following her, but she knew that if she didn't get out of there soon, she would be forfeiting her own life.

She knew when she was in trouble—Serenity had wondered when her pro-Domino activist behavior would seal that final nail in her coffin. It had happened to so many other Domino city officials, why did she consider herself above such a thing happening to her?

Time was catching up. The doors clicked open, and Serenity shrieked, jumping back as Bakura strode out of the elevator towards her, a brown burlap mask over his face, his sleeves rolled up almost to his elbows.

She could barely speak, a combination of curiosity and fear rooting her to the spot as she clung to the wall behind her with her back.

"Bakura…?"

The man chuckled, then darted forward, the atomizer in his hand releasing a cloud of fumes right over Serenity's face. She coughed and screamed, the muscles in her body going slack as she felt her feet give out from under her.

Serenity fell, Bakura catching her before she could hit the ground. He removed his mask and swung her into his arms, carrying her back down the hall and into the chemical manufacturing room.

_Enjin…mad…fear…Bakura…hope…doom…I…_

Serenity's thoughts were a clouded jumble as she felt Bakura kick open the door and carry her through. His mask had terrified her, but she tried to remain strong for her brother, for her job, and for herself.

_Lost…I…too late…_

"W-why are you d-d-doing this?" Her chapped lips and chattering teeth caused her words to sound shaky and breathy, but even saying that simple phrase took an enormous amount of effort on Serenity's part. Her mind cleared for one brief moment.

"What. The hell d-did you spray me with?" The words sounded more like a plea than a demand, but Serenity had to focus on keeping breathing as the room spun before her vision. She clung to Bakura as he walked down the stairs, not even registering what she was doing. The rusted iron bars and slatted overhangs of the catwalks seemed incredibly frightening to Serenity, and she didn't even know why, just that she needed to get as far away from this place as possible.

"Poor, little Serenity Wheeler." Bakura shifted the woman in his arms so he could lightly pat the top of her head with one hand. "There are things in this city, things you can't even _begin_ to understand."

Serenity tried to struggle, but in her weakened state could barely move her limbs a few inches. "W-whhh." She couldn't even get the entire word out this time.

Bakura laughed coldly. "I've given you a concentrated dose of my fear serum. You won't last much longer."

Serenity froze; she could no longer even hear the words being spoken around her clearly, but she heard Bakura's laugh, and it sounded so…_inhuman_. High and cold, nasally and bitter—Bakura was showing her his true self in her last moments of life.

Serenity felt a different coldness flooding her veins, but whether or not it was calming endorphins or terror at being faced with the end of her life, she didn't know which.

A clanking sound on Serenity's right caused Bakura to turn suddenly, and Serenity's vision swam again.

"Boss, we have a problem!" A uniformed subordinate ran up to Bakura.

"What is it?" He growled in response, clutching Serenity as he moved to the middle of the room, the three of them standing below an array of spotlights hanging from the tall ceiling.

"The guards on watch at the east entrance to the facility aren't responding. They've been taken out." The grunt worker sounded nervous.

Bakura twisted Serenity's hair sharply; she let out a weak cry of pain.

"_WHO knows you're here_!" Bakura yelled, but Serenity could not even utter a single word.

"They say it's Batman, boss," the lackey continued.

Bakura froze, a small chuckle escaping his thin form. "Then call the police."

"The police, sir?" The lackey looked unsure of his instructions.

"They can't do anything about _this_," he gestured to the warehouse-like room, "but they can arrest the Bat."

The subordinate ran off, whispering instructions into a communicator attached to his belt. Several other armed men approached Bakura, their guns raised towards the rafters as they circled the perimeter, their eyes wary for any sign of an intruder.

Bakura hastily set Serenity down over a grouping of drum-like containers, the steel edges chilling her skin.

Suddenly, the lights hovering over the left corner shut off, the sound of falling glass lasting a few seconds afterwards.

"He's here," Bakura breathed, pulling the mask back over his face. "The Bat-man."

"They say he's the fastest man alive," one armed thug said to another, readying his gun.

"I've heard he can fly," the other responded, twisting his head to look around the room.

"Well, we'll find out, won't we?" Bakura sneered, wrapping his fingers around another atomizer of his fear toxin.

Serenity groaned, trying to twist her head and see what was going on around her. All she saw was darkness, and all she could hear was her own heavy breathing. And then a scream…

One of the thugs was wrenched into the air, screaming as his gun was torn from his arms, both gun and man disappearing into the shadows before the others even had time to react.

"Force him outside!" Bakura commanded, moving with several of the guards towards the exit.

The lights in another corner blew out, and they heard a similar scream from a guard in that corner of the room.

"What about the girl?" One of the henchmen asked. Bakura shrugged indifferently. "She hasn't got long. The mind can only take so much."

"I have word from Stevens, they've hid the emitter," one thug said to Bakura, removing the two-way radio from his ear. "It's safe."

Bakura breathed a sigh of relief before tensing as the Batman dropped down from the ceiling, pulling one of the thugs towards him and breaking his arm with a well-placed twist and punch.

Guns went off; several of the men were trying to shoot him, but the Batman twisted in and out of the shadows provided by the sparse lighting, grabbing henchmen by their collars and punching them across the jaw, flipping them over and colliding their broken bodies with other henchmen thinking they stood a chance against the caped vigilante.

He turned, expecting to see another lackey with poorly-trained shooting skills, but was instead faced with a tall man wearing a brown mask over his face, his arm darting out and spraying something with a sickly sweet smell right into his face.

* * *

Seto stumbled back, blinking as the one in the mask burst out laughing, obviously thinking that he had just won. Seto paused for a second, waiting to see if Ryou's antidote would work. He could still smell the cloying scent of the blue flower and even taste it in his mouth, but it was not reaching his mind. Ryou's work had done the trick.

He glanced over at Serenity, whose breathing had become labored as she struggled to raise her head to see what was happening around her. It dropped back down from the spent effort, and Seto wondered how long she had before it would be too late. He had the extra syringes, but they were safely stored in Kaiba Mansion. He would have to bring her back with him.

Lunging at Bakura, Seto punched the man square in the jaw, snapping his head back as he flew into a series of equipment designed to facilitate the production of the powder.

Glancing around, Seto noticed that Bakura was not getting up, and the rest of the guards had been taken out. He moved swiftly to Serenity's side, wrapping her in his arms as he hurried back in the way he'd come, cradling her body in his arms as he used his grappling gun to get them both over a tall railing and to the east exit.

When Serenity saw who was carrying her, she bit back a scream, her voice too hoarse to allow the sound to leave her throat. The toxin was still flooding her veins, and it emphasized the curving sweep of the Batman's cowl and dark clothing, twisting them into something grotesque.

"Quit struggling," Seto told Serenity, but she still whimpered, turning her head away from him. Seto knew the police would be here soon, if they weren't already, and he would have to escape quickly to get Serenity to the mansion in time.

The door of the 'Batmobile,' as he had mentally dubbed it, sprang open automatically as he approached it, an electronic sensor in a pocket in the glove of his right hand reacting with the vehicle's state-of-the-art computer system. It really was surprising, and somewhat ironic, Seto thought, that such a great invention by KaibaCorp was thought too unimportant to be put into production by the company, and was instead put to such a use that it was found in now.

Seto slid neatly into the driver's seat, settling Serenity into the passenger seat by his side, her head knocking against the door on her side as she shrank into the black leather seat, shivering as her fingers curled together.

Seto himself felt strangely guilty—it was _his_ fault she was in this position. That was why he created this image, so people he knew would be saved from the repercussions of his actions. He had gotten to Arkham Asylum too late, Serenity was in danger. He would not fail her again.

He cast a quick glance at the woman next to him as he fired up the Batmobile. Serenity's eyes were closed and her breathing was heavy. As the vehicle came to life and vibrated with the intensity of the engine, Serenity swallowed heavily, her fingers scrabbling against the flat fabric of the seat belt, unable to pull it towards her even as she fought to keep from collapsing in her seat.

Seto pulled away from Arkham, the Batmobile easily jumping first to fifty and then past sixty-five as he took the freeway towards the center of Domino, several police cars surrounding the Asylum spinning away with him, fast on his heels.

Seto expertly steered the Batmobile through weekend nightly Domino traffic, freeway lights illuminating his path as the stinging siren of the police cars cleared their path.

Seto cursed silently, swerving the bulky vehicle down into an underpass that ran the length of the city underneath the freeway. It would be easier to evade attention if they were traveling underground.

"W-where are we going?" Serenity asked softly, her mixed feelings of horror from the toxin and faith from her rescue conflicting as she felt her head spinning once more.

"Short cut," was the curt reply. "Trust me."

Serenity found his words hard to obey, but what did it matter, she was going to die soon anyway. She shrank back from the window; the car had emerged over the freeway, and the whizzing trees outside scrambled her vision even more. Serenity coughed weakly, trying to suck in air through her failing lungs—she couldn't breathe.

"Hold on!" Seto commanded, his attention split between out-running the police and trying to keep the woman beside him awake. Serenity had grown extremely pale. Through cameras placed in the back of the vehicle, he could tell that two cars were still on his tail. He didn't have time for this!

Her eyes fluttering closed with all the effort of a blink, Serenity collapsed in her seat, her head hitting the soft leather lightly as her curled fingers went slack.

"_SERENITY!!_"

* * *

A/N: These chapters just keep getting longer and longer! They're almost double in length now from the first couple of chapters. That's why its been taking longer to get updates out, but I'm sure everyone would rather have fewer longer, better chapters than a bunch of tiny ones, right?

So give me reviews to show your love! Or hate, surprise, general confusion. I'll take anything and everything!

Love, Kako


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